Alabama is receiving an increasing number of calls for assistance from Texas in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl devastating Houston.
The sweltering Texas heat has caused extensive damage, including flooding, fallen trees, and power lines.
On Tuesday, Alabama Power received a call and promptly responded by sending 350 of its personnel to Houston.
The Alabama Baptist State Convention was recently asked for assistance in Huffman, Texas, which is located approximately 25 miles from Houston.
According to convention leaders, a team consisting of 75 volunteers, primarily chainsaw experts, will be dispatched to Texas to assist with tree clearing efforts. The team will depart this week and is expected to stay for a minimum of one week.
According to Mark Wakefield, Disaster Relief & Chaplaincy Ministry Strategist of the Alabama Baptist State Convention, they are dispatching a chainsaw team and heavy equipment to assist with the removal of trees from houses, as well as sending volunteers to provide feeding for their own volunteers. The administrative staff will be responsible for processing job orders, and they have been requested to provide more extensive services for the community, so they are in the process of dispatching a larger unit.
Wakefield acknowledges that there are challenging days ahead in clearing the trees. However, he emphasizes that the chainsaw volunteers are not only highly trained but also view this task as an opportunity to make a positive impact.
