TBM chainsaw teams offer relief in northeastern Oklahoma

Updated: 2/02/07

The entire city of McAlester, Okla., was without power for more than a week, and 18,000 people sought the relief provided by Texas Baptist Men volunteers.

TBM chainsaw teams offer
relief in northeastern Oklahoma

By Barbara Bedrick

Texas Baptist Communications

PRYOR, Okla.—Amid an ice storm that crippled much of Oklahoma, prayers permeated the air as Texas Baptist Men volunteer chainsaw crews finished another project for victims.

Jack Macy called the volunteers “angels.” More than 100 families like Macy’s found solace from the ice storm in the disaster relief provided by TBM volunteers.

“They’re wonderful,” Macy said. “They worked so fast and so hard.”

Mike Bailey, a Texas Baptist Men volunteer from Collin Baptist Association, cuts ice-damaged limbs in Oklahoma.

Former Pryor Fire Chief David Harrison felt blessed the TBM crews helped his family.

“I think it’s great,” Harrison said. “This is the worst ice storm I’ve seen in 29 years here. We’ve been without electricity for five days.”

About100 TBM volunteers converged on McAlester and Pryor to help residents weather an ice storm that threatened homes and claimed at least 32 lives. Nearly 4,000 people were treated at hospitals for weather-related injuries.

Seventy-seven counties have been declared federal disaster areas. Oklahoma’s emergency operations center remained activated due to the extreme winter weather conditions. In McAlester, the entire community was without electric power. Many struggled to stay warm and nourished.

A team of TBM volunteers prepared at least 10,000 meals for storm victims in Grove, north of Pryor. Volunteers man the 18-wheeler state feeding unit loaded with enough food to make 50,000 meals.

Volunteer chainsaw crews faced treacherous footing in the ice and pelting sleet, but they trudged ahead.

Team leaders called it one of the most dangerous and most difficult missions yet for the TBM chainsaw crews. Chainsaw team volunteers put into practice techniques they had never used before as the limbs of many trees stretched precariously toward electrical lines.

Watch a short video on TBM’s ice storm cleanup.

“This is our first time to do ice work,” said Joe Detterman, a TBM volunteer from Collin Baptist Association. “My team does a lot of climbing. When you start climbing a tree with ice, it’s a lot more difficult. The wood is brittle and it breaks when you don’t expect it or when you don’t want it to.”

TBM team members spend hours in chainsaw disaster training and climbing techniques, wear protective chaps and gloves to prevent the blades from cutting them and don OSHA-recommended ear protection and hard hats, but even with all their preparation, they still were challenged by what they experienced in northeastern Oklahoma.

Grateful for the work by Texas Baptist Men chainsaw teams in McAlester, Frink Baptist Church member Helen Stovaugh, her husband and grandson were without power for more than a week.

“I am amazed at the size of the damage,” said Duane Bechtold, unit director of the TBM Collin Baptist Association unit. “It’s really unbelievable the amount of tree damage caused by an ice storm.”

The storm left 4,500 electric utility poles down and tens of thousands of residents in Pryor and McAlester without electricity for more than a week. More than 200 utility crews attempted to upright downed power lines toppled by the ice storm. Red Cross volunteers came from as far away as New York to set up shelters, serve meals and aid storm victims.

“It’s devastating,” said Red Cross volunteer Joy Merrick-Vogel. “It’s something I’ve never seen before. What nature can do is just phenomenal. It’s just miles and miles of ice.”

Helen Stovaugh, who attends Frink Baptist Church in McAlester, described how she and her husband could not stay at home because they had no heat. Fortunately, their son has a fireplace and a generator, so they moved in until power was restored.

“We’re much in prayer about the situation,” she said. “We’re concerned about our friends and neighbors and the whole city. … It’s quite an ordeal. We’re trusting in the Lord to get us through this.”

Residents who remained at home found comfort in the ministry of the TBM volunteers. “We do this for one purpose, and that’s to share the love of God,” Detterman stressed.

“When you show Jesus’ love in a real way, it means more to the homeowners.”

Every job by the chainsaw teams ends in prayer. After completing their tasks, the volunteers ask to pray with the homeowners.

Despite the freezing temperatures and slippery work, the volunteers found they received more than they gave.

“It’s all about Jesus,” said Mike Bailey, volunteer of the TBM Denison unit. “It’s not about getting out here and working. It’s about helping people. I’ve been with TBM for a couple of years, and it’s been a blessing ever since.”

 

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