Oklahoma Baptist leaders meet in Elk City, participate in disaster response

ELK CITY, Okla.—Leaders with the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma (BGCO) and its Disaster Relief organization were in Elk City on Wednesday,

From left, Gov. Mary Fallin meets with Oklahoma Baptists’ Anthony L. Jordan and Sam Porter in Elk City. Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief is participating in tornado relief in Elk City.

meeting with other emergency management leaders, to talk about the tornado relief efforts.

Sam Porter, director of Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief, and Anthony Jordan, BGCO executive director-treasurer, met Gov. Mary Fallin, Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John Doak and others in Elk City, surveying tornado damage and connecting with people in the community.

“Our rapid assessment teams were out as the storms were rolling late last night and today we set up our mobile command unit. We estimate that more than 100 homes have been severely damaged or destroyed,” said Porter.

Due to impending severe weather on the radar later this week, Porter and DR volunteers are working quickly to help homeowners salvage what they can.

“We’ll take any walk-up volunteers willing to help. We’ll have organizations taking volunteers to homes to help homeowners gather their belongings and sort through debris before any future storm may come,” said Porter.

The BGCO DR’s Mobile Command Center will be stationed at First Baptist Church in Elk City, where all Baptist volunteer efforts will be coordinated.

For more than 40 years, Oklahoma Baptist DR has been serving in the wake of disasters. For more information on the ministry, or to make a tax-deductible donation to Oklahoma Baptist DR, visit www.okdisasterhelp.org.