CRWRC Disaster Response Workers Ready for Ike

CRWRC Newsroom | September 13, 2008

With Hurricane Ike pounding the Texas coast early this afternoon, CRWRC's Disaster Response Services (DRS) volunteers, now on hold, are eager to return to work on homes and businesses hardest hit by the monster storm. Search and rescue teams are expected to enter coastal areas today, as soon as the weather allows.

DRS teams that were scheduled to arrive in Port Arthur and Lake Charles, Texas, next week Monday to continue reconstruction from Hurricane Rita will in addition begin what could be another $1 million in repair and reconstruction work in response to Hurricane Ike.

“Parts of Texas devastated by Rita three years ago are being slammed again,” says Bill Adams, Director of DRS.  “DRS managers and some of the denomination’s congregations in Houston have been evacuated from areas most vulnerable to damage from Hurricane Ike.”

The Christian Reformed Church (CRC) has three congregations in Houston, including Hope CRC, whose pastor, Rev. Roger DeYoung, has been helping coordinate ongoing reconstruction in the area and was evacuated to Waco, TX.

Agency reports yesterday stated that Carrie and Len Bloukamp, DRS project managers who were in Lake Charles, TX,  this week to  prepare to open a long-term reconstruction site from Hurricane Rita, were evacuated to Slidel, LA, before today’s storm hit. The Bloukamps are now ready to re-assess needs in the Lake Charles area after Ike’s wind and rain pass through.

“DRS has active reconstruction sites in Lake Charles and Port Arthur, Texas, at this time,” Adams said. “DRS is continuing to work with the South East Texas Interfaith Organization (SETIA) and Hope Christian Reformed Church in Houston as well as the Presbyterian Church of America and the United Methodist Church UMCOR, to be faithful to survivors of Rita and Ike in Texas,”

Adams also said that--like most U.S. disaster response organizations--CRWRC's Disaster Response Services has been stretched by the number and magnitude of natural disasters in the last three years  However, the agency and its 2,000 trained volunteers will continue to provide emergency services to disaster survivors on the Gulf Coast, as well as Iowa, Indiana, Florida, and other parts of the country.

“It’s not only what we do,” Adams says, “It’s part of who we are as believers in Christ.” 

CRWRC is requesting financial donations totaling up to $1 million to launch an additional response to Hurricane Ike in Texas.

Donate online today, designating your funds to “Hurricanes 2008”.

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