Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief aids storm cleanup

There are a lot of DeSoto County residents trying to cut through the recent storm damage that swept through the Hernando area, clearing away downed trees and getting the property closer to what it was before last month’s storms that included a brief tornado touchdown.  

A group volunteering storm damage relief told DeSoto County Supervisors Monday morning that 64 requests for help have come to them. Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief (MBDR) with the Southern Baptist Convention is now assisting nine of them with no plans to stop there.  

Rodney Ennis, who lives on Scott Road west of Hernando, appreciates all of the volunteer work, which includes cutting tree trunks and setting the fallen tree remains along the road for removal.  Ennis said the men working in his yard are doing the work for the right reasons.  

“These guys are all working for the Lord,” Ennis said.  “I know John. He’s with the Mississippi Disaster Relief.  I called him, they came out here and then put me on the schedule.”

John is John Hanson, who filled in supervisors about their work during the morning session of their regular meeting on Monday. 

Trained volunteers have come in to assist in clearing downed trees and debris, facilitating recovery efforts. They also do other essential services to restore affected homes. 

The crew that comes in with Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief know what they’re doing. They undergo training and credentialing to operate the vehicles and equipment they use. Training sessions cover various specialties, including chainsaw operation, feeding, chaplaincy, and cleanup/recovery.

“The crews I’ve got today here got tractors and skid steers with gravel,” Hanson said. “I have two crews coming in with man lifts so we can get up and get what we call widow makers, hangers out of trees. We’re getting everything we can on the ground, especially widow makers.”

“Widow makers” is a term for dangling or unstable tree limbs and branches that can fall suddenly, often without warning. They pose a serious risk of injury or death to anyone working or walking below.

Hanson said the county clears the debris away, adding MBDR has received great cooperation from the county and City of Hernando regarding property inside the city limits. 

To contact Hanson for more information, call 901-606-5348, or contact the Urban Ground Training Center at 662-429-5033.  

Photos are from the work being done Monday on the Ennis property near Hernando.