HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE, Ark. – Multiple Arkansas Baptist Disaster Relief (ABDR) teams spent the weekend providing aid in Hot Springs Village following an EF-2 tornado.
The tornado touched down Thursday evening as a wave of storms moved across the state. ABDR Director Randy Garrett said they had feeding and recovery teams from Balboa Baptist Church, Indian Springs Baptist Church and Crossgate Baptist Church working the area by Friday morning. A team from New Life Baptist Church joined on Saturday. Balboa Baptist, located in the village, served as the command post.
“They were wonderful hosts. Our feeding team used their commercial kitchen, and we provided meals both for the first responders and survivors in the village,” Garrett said.
Recovery teams primarily spent time clearing streets to help provide better access for first responders to get to homes and electric companies to restore power. Garrett said the storm was isolated but devastating to the area it hit. There were no major injuries or deaths.
Teams were deployed in Hot Springs Village through Sunday.
Texas wildfires
ABDR teams have also wrapped up in Texas, where they helped those impacted by the wildfires devastating the state.
Teams from First Baptist Church in Clarksville and Cross Church in Northwest Arkansas and First Baptist Church in Russellville traveled to Texas. While there, they focused on ash out, sifting through ash to help families and individuals locate valuable items that survived the fires.
Garrett said ABDR is continuing the hay operation to help provide impacted Texas ranchers with hay and fencing supplies. Anyone who would like to donate hay, fencing supplies or transportation of the items to Texas can contact Deb Norris at 501-413-8971.
ABDR Disaster Relief Coordinator Greg Hutchison will be leaving on Thursday to take a load of hay to Texas. Several other trucks are scheduled to take loads over the weekend, Garrett said.
“We will continue the hay operation until they tell us they don’t need any more hay,” he said. In 2017, when wildfires ravaged Oklahoma, Arkansans donated 2,700 round bales.
Please continue to pray for those impacted as they navigate the days ahead and all Disaster Relief volunteers. For more information about ABDR, click here.