Looking Back

Rain, Hail, Angry Clouds and Destruction

Vernon and Wichita Falls, April 10, 1979

As a funnel cloud developed and a tornado sighted, residents headed for cover. Some said that the roar of the tornado sounded like "a dance of death."

Before the tornado had left Vernon there were at least 12 dead and 60 injured, and an estimated $20 million damage.

The storm did not stop at the Vernon city limits. It continued into southwestern Wichita Falls, ripping a mile-wide and eight-mile long path through the city, leaving 40 dead, hundreds hurt, and at least $200 million in property damage.

Before dawn on the morning after the tornado, Wichita Falls residents were greeted by the welcome sight of the Texas Disaster Relief Mobile Unit. They prepared thousands of meals, and compassionate spiritual encouragement to storm victims.

Volunteers trained in working with children cared for infants and children through age six while their parents filed for aid or cleaned up their property. This was a defining experience for the child care team, and invaluable as they put together a comprehensive child care program.

 

Tent Unit Responds to Disasters and Much More

As reported by Barry Bensmiller

ECDRT Tent Unit Leader and ECDRT President

Ellis Christian Disaster Relief Team (ECDRT) is a Christian-based group of believers that have joined together to share God's love to people in times of crisis.  ECDRT works in partnership with TBMDR to deploy our units in times of need.  

I started working with TBMDR during Hurricane Katrina and have gone on several deployments and look for opportunities to  help support the TBMDR efforts where a temporary shelter could be used.  One example was during Hurricane Katrina. The feeding units were preparing food in a large parking lot at the football stadium in Houston. and there was no place to get out of the sun and heat. This started me thinking that this could be a support ministry to existing TBM ministries.

The Tent Unit was created in the Spring of 2006 with a vision to use the tent for shelter, work with the Feeding Units, or other needs for a quick temporary shelter or meeting area.

Funds became available through a generous family seeing the vision of the unit. The Tent Unit has a 40' x 60' pole tent that can also be erected as a 20' x 20' tent. The tent can be placed on dirt, asphalt, or concrete and can be ready for business in less than two hours by four people.  This unit can be setup for a day or for 6 months as needs dictate. The tent has removable solid sides, and has lighting poles attached to the two center supports. The unit also carries 22 six foot tables and 112 chairs.  Our unit encourages men, women and youth to deploy with the unit.

The Tent Unit's first deployment with TBM was during Hurricane Ike where we had the opportunity to go to San Leon, in the Houston area, for a shelter for residents that did not have anyplace to sleep except on muddy, saltwater mattresses outside their homes. Their homes were too damaged to stay inside.  The tent was set up with blue tarps as a floor, and Ernie Rice was able to provide air conditioning and generator units to cool the tent and provide some additional comfort for the residents.  The Red Cross and a Bedding Unit provided the cots for beds.  This deployment lasted over two months while the residents looked for alternative housing.  During this time the local church was able to share Christ with these residents, and several made professions of faith.

After the Tent Unit was taken down as a shelter, it was deployed to Oak Island to help in a tent city for food distribution for the next six months.

Outside of disaster deployments the ECDRT Tent Unit is used for training classes by supporting VBS, Church-wide fellowships, new church starts, TBM Dixon Bldg celebrations and other opportunities to share God's love and message to the community.

This unit is ideal for people that work and cannot get off for long periods of time to be deployed. This unit can travel to the Houston area, setup the tent and make it back home in the same day.  If you are interested in being part of this unit please contact me at 214-538-1813, or CLICK HERE and send me an e-mail.

Other ECDRT Units include a Box Unit and a Multi-Purpose Unit.  Please pray with us as we continue to search God's Will in our group as we continue to grow and work along side of other TBMDR Units.

Wildfires...

TBM Teams Help With Cleanup

On Sunday, February 27 the Texas panhandle, and as far south as Colorado City, experienced a series of wild fires that burned thousands of areas and destroyed dozens of homes.

The Amarillo Clean Out unit and Joe Henard's Heavy Equipment Unit was activated to respond to the Amarillo Area fires on Wednesday, March 2 and completed work on Monday, March 14. The Lubbock Clean out Unit and Butch Moore's Heavy Equipment responded to the Colorado City Fires on Friday, March 4 and completed work on Saturday, March 12. The assigned task for both units was to clean up the burned home sites and where possible recover any valuables that might remain.

The Lubbock Unit with Unit Director Russell Schieck worked in Colorado City while the Amarillo Unit with Unit Director Ralph Rogers worked in the Mesilla Park, Palisades and Lake Tanglewood area. The effort concentrated on helping those who did not have insurance or had other special needs. The Amarillo team, with volunteers from around the state, and with assistance from an SBTC Disaster Relief team completed approximately 10 jobs. The Lubbock team, also with volunteers from around the state, completed approximately 5 jobs.