07120
March 2, 2007

PDA sending $20,000 south after storms leave path of destruction

by Evan Silverstein

LOUISVILLE — Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) is sending $20,000 in initial assistance to two presbyteries after a violent storm swept through the Midwest and Southeast Thursday, leaving two communities in Alabama and Georgia with serious damage and at least 20 people dead across three states. 

     South Alabama and Flint River presbyteries will receive $10,000 each in support of their response efforts in Enterprise, AL, and Americus, GA, according to a situation report issued by PDA on Friday (March 2). 

     The money, from the One Great Hour of Sharing offering, “is to do whatever is necessary” in immediate response, PDA Coordinator Susan Ryan said.

     “My sense is that we’re in for a very busy spring,” Ryan said. “I don’t recall this much activity in years this early in the spring. So I think people need to be ready. We’re going to be busy this year.”

     Authorities blamed tornadoes for the deaths of a 7-year-old girl in Missouri, 10 people in Alabama and nine in Georgia, and twisters also damaged homes in Kansas. The burst of tornadoes were part of a larger line of thunderstorms and snowstorms that stretched from Minnesota to the Gulf Coast.

     A tornado in Enterprise, AL, a city of about 23,000 some 75 miles south of Montgomery, damaged the roof of a school, causing it to partially collapse killing eight students inside as they sought shelter from the storm.

     PDA National Response Team members the Rev. Bobb Barnes and Rick Turner have been deployed to Enterprise where they are expected to arrive Saturday (March 3), the situation report said.

     PDA said that initial reports from South Alabama Presbytery indicated that First Presbyterian Church of Enterprise received some damage in the storm. 

     In Americus, GA, a tornado slammed into a hospital, shutting it down as health workers were treating victims coming in from the storm. About 200 homes were severely damaged in this town of 17,000.

     Paul Luthman, executive presbyter of Flint River Presbytery, which is based in Albany, GA, told PDA that there were multiple injuries in Americus with two confirmed deaths.

     “It hit downtown Americus and caused considerable damage to businesses — including a firehouse and the local hospital,” Luthman said in the situation report.

     He said First Presbyterian Church in Americus was not damaged and that staff was safe.

     At this point “no members have serious issues that we are aware of,” Luthman said. “First Americus is taking the lead in the Presbyterian response.”

     PDA is working to deploy members of the National Response Team to Americus as soon as possible.  In the meantime, the Rev. Ken McKenzie, disaster coordinator for the Synod of South Atlantic, is providing coordination and communication to the area, PDA said.