Author: Laura

On June 10, early Sunday morning, ACS and Youth Ministries members from the Allegheny East and Chesapeake conferences, as well as volunteers from the community, gathered together at the Miracle City SDA Church to help with ‘Muck Out’ in response to the Ellicott City flooding. Despite the uncertain weather, there were 55 individuals who came prepared to work in more than ten areas that had been affected in Baltimore and Catonsville. They headed to the Stillmeadow Community Fellowship Church where the Operations Center was housed. The ACS DR team connected with Team Rubicon, a national partner of ACS DR, and discussed the activities of the day which included removing furniture, carpet, drywall, and etc. Individuals were placed into teams of seven where each team member was provided a skilled worker to accompany them and direct their efforts.

Each home they visited was close to a waterway that had produced a river-like water out in the streets. Much of the wet boxes and furniture still held water from over two weeks ago. Additionally, some of the homes had already begun to develop mold. Since much of the work took place inside homes, the DR Teams were able to talk to the residents of the affected homes about the rushing waters that devastated their community. While many were sincerely grateful to get their homes cleaned out of the remaining debris, some of them spoke of other needs that had not been met such as food, water, and other necessities. Since the DR Teams had gotten a briefing in the morning before heading onto the streets, they were able to provide information on a local school that had opened a Help Center for those that lived in the area. Click here to read some of the stories that the residents shared with us.

Both the Chesapeake and Allegheny East conferences have committed to continue assisting in the days and weeks ahead. The Conferences have also expressed an interest in partnering with us in Rebuild work after the homes are cleaned out. This work will include drywall replacement, painting, flooring, and etc. These Recovery Efforts will be part of a long-term Recovery Plan and will go on for the next year.

Many residents of homes that were impacted by the floods shared their stories with those who helped out with the ‘Muck Out’ on June 10. Click here to read more information on the Recovery Efforts. One resident who expressed her concern was a young lady named Dionne who lived with her two boys on a second-floor apartment building that got flooded. After she shared her tragic experience, she asked us where we were from. W. Derrick Lea, NAD ACS DR Director, informed her of the Seventh-day Adventist Church at Miracle City which was just two blocks away, and offered to introduce her to Pr. David Franklin who was present on the scene. They had a pleasant conversation, where Pr. David invited her to next Sabbath’s service to which she gladly accepted.

One Health Care worker named Hadie, whose basement was flooded, explained she was not home during the actual storm. She works at the local hospital and was on her night shift as the rains fell. Her husband at home had informed her the water level was raising, but she assumed it would recede as it always had previously. This family had lived on Frederick Road for 20 years, and never experienced anything like the latest rain. Early in the morning, her husband called to inform her that water was getting into the house. Hours later, they had over two feet of water in the basement. As the ‘Muck Out’ work began, she was getting ready to sleep before her night shift once again. While the DR volunteers didn’t mean to wake her up as they worked hard on her home that desperately needed fixing, she was truly appreciative of all the tremendous help that was provided to her family. Besides the residents, the DR volunteers also expressed how grateful they were for this opportunity to be able to help in some way.

Check out the story of Hadie sharing her experience with W. Derrick Lea, North American Division ACS DR Director.

Heavy rains over the Memorial Day weekend have caused severe flooding in Maryland, affecting communities in Howard, Frederick, and Washington Counties. Some of the hardest hit places were Baltimore and Ellicott City. ACS Disaster Response leaders from the North American Division, Chesapeake, and Allegheny East Conferences are collaborating with each other and some of our partner organizations on the Recovery efforts in the impacted areas.

The Allegheny East Conference partnered with the Miracle SDA Church in conducting a needs-assessment of the areas close to the church which were affected. Various streets were closed and barriers had been erected near the church. W. Derrick Lea, NAD ACS DR Director, paid a visit to the Church and the affected community. The pastor of Miracle Church, Pr. David Franklin, explained all the damage that his neighborhood had sustained. They discussed what resources could be of help to the community and what role the church was prepared to play. They also visited a very large Baptist church that housed the Operations Center for the local Disaster. There were at least 25 people present from various organizations handling different tasks. Aid workers included personnel from ACS, the Red Cross, and Emergency Management.

The Chesapeake Conference is in contact with the Red Cross who is rendering Emotional & Spiritual Care to those affected in Washington and Frederick Counties. John Belliveau, the ACS DR Director for the Conference, is perusing a possible partnership in this effort that could incorporate our newly trained workers, as well. John and Derrick were able to connect with three other organizations that were interested in working with our DR Teams. John reached out to his newly trained Team and solicited credentialed individuals who could render service. In addition, he offered to shadow an experienced team on the ground and will ensure our members are used as appropriate in the coming days.

ACS Disaster Response is working hard to assist these communities with our Teams all over the region. As the work becomes more established, we will take advantage of additional resources that have been offered from Youth Ministries, which awaits our call for help. Many of our youth are willing to assist and as the need materializes we’ll engage them in activity towards the Recovery Efforts.