GRANBURY—Texas Baptist Men disaster relief volunteers offered comfort to injured people, helped clear debris and provided meals to rescue workers after tornadoes ripped through North Central Texas Wednesday evening, May 15.
A series of tornadoes touched down around Granbury and Cleburne, south of the Dallas-Fort Worth area, killing at least six people, injuring dozens and leaving hundreds homeless.
TBM chaplains and a recovery crew helped transport some of the injured to Acton Baptist Church in Granbury, which acted as a triage center and as on-site headquarters for TBM disaster relief.
Many people displaced by the storms spent the night in shelters at First Christian Church and First United Methodist Church in Granbury.
Chainsaw crews from Ellis and Paluxy counties began clearing downed trees and large limbs the morning after the storm, and other crews were placed on alert for possible mobilization.
An emergency food service crew that has been serving meals in West following a deadly fertilizer plant explosion last month sent 200 meals to first responders in Granbury on the evening the tornado hit. The West-based team planned to continue to provide meals in Granbury as needed.
A “blue tarp” volunteer team from Austin Baptist Association will provide temporary roofing help to Granbury-area residents whose roofs sustained serious damage.
Victim Relief Ministries is working in coordination with Cindy Wesch, TBM disaster relief area director for Central Texas.
TBM disaster relief workers and Baptist General Convention of Texas disaster recovery personnel were in Cleburne May 16, continuing to assess needs. BGCT disaster recovery will enlist volunteers to help with clean-up and rebuilding homes, focusing on the uninsured and underinsured.
TBM disaster relief relies entirely on donations. To give, click here or send a check designated “disaster relief” to Texas Baptist Men, 5351 Catron, Dallas 75227.
To support Texas Baptists’ disaster recovery efforts financially, click here.
This story was updated at 3:30 p.m. May 16 to add additional information.
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