As a result of the fierce winds and tornadoes that raged across the country last Sunday, five counties in Mississippi have declared a state of emergency. The deadly winds caused numerous fatalities, 50 injured and many homeless. From Mississippi to Ohio at least 33 people died. The tornado that hit Columbus had a rating of a three out of five on the Fujita Scale.
Gov. Ronnie Musgrove asked President Bush for $10 million to repair damages done to public facilities and the campus of Mississippi University for Women in Columbus. A preliminary inspection of Lowndes County showed 76 homes completely destroyed and some 248 homes with minor or serious damage.
The state will be expected to cover 25 percent of the costs, while the federal government would pay the rest.
In response to the tragedy, many service organizations are stepping into the roles for which they are designed. Among them are the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and the Mennonite Disaster Service.
Cerese Teel, executive director of the Oktibbeha County American Red Cross Chapter, explained the role the Red Cross is serving in Columbus in response to the tornadoes.
“The first request we had was help with damage assessment right after the storm,” said Teel.
They sent Jack Coley, disaster chairman, and Bennet George, an MSU webmaster and Damage assessment co-chair to Columbus. These men spent two days in the Crawford area performing damage assessment.
“They [Columbus] needed trained people to drive the Emergency Response Vehicles,” Teel said.
“We are sending four people to help in family service. They are the people who actually meet with the victims and will be doing the case work,” Teel said. “They’ve been through special training for this and they’ll be doing the paperwork to help those get back what the people lost,” Teel said. “We want to do everything that we can to help them.”
Charles Zurenko, a public affairs officer and volunteer from Cooperstown, N.Y., serves as part of a national team for the American Red Cross. This team consists of volunteers from across the country who come to assist areas devastated by natural disasters.
“We have volunteers from 20 different states who have come to help out the local volunteers,” Zurenko said. “These volunteers are also giving assistance in Alabama, West Virginia, Ohio, Tennessee and Pennsylvania.
“Columbus was fairly hard hit. Our preliminary damage reports show some 600 plus homes damaged or destroyed triggered relief effort,” Zurenko said. “Within the first few hours after the storm, the Tenn-Tom chapter in Columbus opened a shelter and began feeding those without power or whose homes have been destroyed.
“To date we have served over 33,700 meals or snack to folks who have suffered,” said Zurenko.
Shelters at the Mississippi University for Women campus had been open as well.
Zurenko explained that the Red Cross was “also providing meals at two fixed feeding sites, working in conjunction with a couple of the churches, including: Zion Gate Missionary Baptist Church and Cannan Baptist Church. We are providing food to those churches to feed people there.”
On Friday, the American Red Cross entered a new phase of its operation at the Sim Scott Community Service Center. This service center will provide services to victims in the area.
“Anyone who has disaster caused needs can come and meet with a case-worker one-on-one, and will help victims determine what their needs are and how the American Red Cross can help,” Zurenko said. “We might be able to provide means for clients to buy groceries, pay rent, buy household necessities, clothing, have minor home repairs or buy tools or occupational items to help them get back to work.”
In addition to case workers, the American Red Cross also provides disaster help services workers, often nurses who can help with prescriptions and medical supplies, and minor first aid. Crisis counseling, consisting of mental health professionals, such as social workers, psychiatrists and other people specially trained to help people cope with post-disaster emotional issues, are available.
The American Red Cross can also provide access to and information about other help-service organizations.
“The whole point is to get folks on the road to recovery and help them start living a normal life,” said Zurenko.
The Salvation Army sent two Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services Canteens, as well as personnel from Meridian and Tupelo. The Salvation Army in Columbus, itself, was destroyed. However, the Salvation out of Jackson is providing food, drinks and counseling to victims in Columbus and surrounding areas.