Just weeks after completing a month-long flood recovery mission in Kentucky, Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief (GBDR) is mobilizing once again to provide aid to the Bluegrass State, this time in response to a devastating tornado outbreak. The storms, which ripped through southeastern Kentucky, claimed at least 27 lives and left widespread destruction in their wake.

“This is an all-call for current credentialed GBDR volunteers,” announced Dwain Carter, state director of Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief, emphasizing the urgent need, “The need to bring help, hope, and healing is great.” Responding to a request from Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief, GBDR will establish and manage a region-wide recovery site to support families impacted by the storms. The initial deployment will focus on London, Kentucky, where damage assessments are currently underway. GBDR teams are on standby, assembling crews and preparing to deploy as soon as Kentucky leaders give the go-ahead. A chainsaw unit was deployed earlier this week, with additional teams poised to respond pending the completion of damage assessments by Kentucky Disaster Relief (KYDR).

Kentucky continues to grapple with a series of severe weather events. The most recent outbreak occurred last weekend, resulting in 19 fatalities in Kentucky alone, including Fire Department Maj. Roger Leslie Leatherman, a 39-year veteran who tragically died while responding to the disaster. Hundreds of homes were damaged, and parts of two dozen state roads were closed, some remaining inaccessible for days.

The GBDR response aims to provide much-needed support to communities struggling to recover from these devastating storms.