Hurricane Ivan Winds Down; Damage Assessment Teams Head Out

By Pauline J. Chang

Southern Baptist disaster relief teams have been dispatched along the Gulf Coast region and the Florida Panhandle to assess the damages of Hurricane Ivan, Sept 16, 2004. The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), operating through its North American Mission Board (NAMB), has provided the third largest Hurricane relief-operations in Florida over the past weeks; SBC workers are expected to serve along the Gulf Shores by Friday morning.

According to Joel Phillips, manager of the NAMB’s disaster operations center near Atlanta, the damage assessment team was en route to the places hardest hit by Hurricane Ivan. Phillips also said the units from Georgia, Louisiana and Alabama will begin deployment on Friday, Sept 17.

Until then, Phillips explained, “it is a waiting day.”

At last count, Ivan was blamed for at least 18 U.S. deaths, most of them in Florida.

The storm was blamed for at least 18 U.S. deaths, most of them in Florida.

"We were prepared

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