ACS Disaster Response personnel in the Southwestern Union Conference have been engaged in Recovery Efforts post severe flooding in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas. The Arkansas river has hit a record-breaking crest level. Around 500 families and some businesses have been impacted so far, in and around Fort Smith. The greatest concern is that the levees have never been tested to hold so much water and for such a long time.
The Union ACS Director and Associate Director, Marshall and Julie Gonzales, are in correspondence with the Mayor, county officials, and Emergency Management leaders in Arkansas. They were on the scene providing relief supplies like flood buckets and clothing to those in need. They were joined by Lavida Whitson, ARK-LA Conference ACS Director, who also met with local Emergency Management and has requested our help to manage a Distribution site for them. They are working on the logistics of securing a facility that will function as a Distribution site.
The Gonzales’ also met with the Oklahoma ACS Director, Judy Reid, in Muskogee which was heavily impacted by the flooding of the Arkansas river. They sent them cleaning buckets and hygiene kits that can be given out to the affected community. Over 2000 people in the State were displaced. Since the situation is still ongoing, Judy and her team are on standby until the water levels subside.
