RALEIGH, N.C. — Volunteers with N.C. Baptists on Mission are helping residents in Raleigh and Fayetteville clean up after tornadoes spawned by the remnants of Hurricane Isaias knocked trees onto homes, cars and yards Sunday, Oct. 11.
Isaias made landfall near Pensacola, Fla., on Friday, Oct. 9, according to the National Weather Service, and weakened as it moved inland. Its remnants brought a line of storms across North Carolina on Sunday. The National Weather Service confirmed 13 tornadoes across central and eastern North Carolina that morning and afternoon, which included four EF0s, six EF1s and three EF2s.
The Enhanced Fujita scale rates tornadoes from EF0 to EF5. EF0 tornadoes have estimated winds of 65 to 85 mph, EF1s 86 to 110 mph and EF2s 111 to 135 mph.
The tornadoes struck Bladen, Chatham, Columbus, Cumberland, Duplin, Franklin, Johnston, Jones, Montgomery, Sampson and Wake counties. The three EF2s were in Cumberland, Duplin and Montgomery counties.
In northeast Raleigh, Baptists on Mission teams are cleaning up damage from an EF1 tornado.
Gordon Edwards, site coordinator for North Raleigh, arrived Monday morning to survey the damage, and a chainsaw crew from Apex began clearing yards. Other crews joined throughout the week as more recovery jobs lined up.
“If you’ve ever been where a tornado has touched down, it’s just devastating,” Edwards said. “We go in there and do what people need. We talk to them and let them get it all off of their chests. We pray with everyone we talk to.”
Edwards estimated that crews would be in Raleigh at least through the end of the week.
Baptists on Mission is also responding in Fayetteville, where an EF2 tornado with peak winds of 115 mph traveled 5.3 miles, according to the National Weather Service.
Tom Poston, site coordinator for Fayetteville, said teams initially received requests for about 30 jobs, but that number has grown throughout the week. Most of the work has involved removing downed trees from yards, houses and cars and placing temporary patches on roofs to prevent further damage.
Local emergency management officials connected residents with Baptists on Mission and helped compile a list of jobs for the crews, Poston said. He added that the response from homeowners has been positive.
“It’s great when we talk to a homeowner and they offer to pray for us,” Poston said. “We’ve had a great response, and people really respond to us.”
Sharing the gospel is also part of the ministry, Poston said.
“That’s part of the reason we are there,” he said. “As they sign the work order, we are praying for them. As we finish the job, we try to give them a Bible with everyone’s signature in it.”
Because many volunteers were commuting, Baptists on Mission opened a recovery site in Fayetteville and is planning to work in the area for at least two weeks. Those interested in serving in Fayetteville with the Hurricane Isaias recovery work may sign up online.
Several local churches have also offered to host crews.
“Local churches’ responses have been great, and that’s really important,” Poston said. “Local churches jumping in to help out has helped make things very easy.”
Poston said he has seen more people across the state express interest in getting involved with disaster response, especially after events like this.
Baptists on Mission’s next round of disaster response training begins in February with several events scheduled throughout the spring. More information and a complete list of training opportunities are available online.