The Texas Baptist Men missions organization has dispatched food-service, chainsaw, mud-out and a variety of other disaster relief teams into hard-hit areas. In the future, TBM also may send in a “mule team.”
The new disaster relief specialty team will enable trained disaster relief volunteers who own and operate all-terrain vehicles or four-wheel utility vehicles to use them in disaster areas.
During a disaster relief heavy-equipment training session at Big Country Baptist Assembly near Lueders, participants discussed ways four-wheel utility vehicles could be useful at disaster sites and in training events.
Terry Henderson, TBM state disaster relief director, authorized the volunteer disaster relief leaders to collect information about how many vehicles—and operators—might be available and where they are located.
The mule team represents an exception to normal practice, since churches, associations or TBM—not individuals—typically own the equipment used in disaster relief ministry.
Joe Henard, TBM heavy equipment coordinator from Amarillo, will develop a training module and usage guidelines.
Bill Holmes in Belton is collecting information about available equipment and operators to create a database. For more information, contact [email protected].
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