Alabama Tornadoes

Sunday was a very tragic day for many people in southern Alabama as tornadoes ripped through the rural community of Beauregard. Many lives were lost, and others were injured. Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones stated that the area the tornado impacted was “a rural area that had a lot of mobile homes and manufactured-type housing.” He went on to say “A lot of volunteers have come forward. We have the assets in place. It's all about being able to cover the affected area."

In the aftermath, many are asking what can be done to help. Hope Force International (HFI) has had years of experience responding to disaster events like this and is currently making contact with agencies and individuals near the affected areas. The initial focus of local authorities is search and rescue; therefore, access is severely restricted at this time.

As horrific as this situation is, it is incumbent upon us to give authorities time to do their job without spontaneously self-deploying -- potentially adding to the problem. In short order, we will be able ascertain the extent of possible recovery needs, the local community’s capacity to address these needs and if the outside assistance that HFI can offer would be beneficial. It is highly probable that our focus would be the application of blue tarps and roof repair in an effort to reestablish the integrity of the roofline in the hope of avoiding further water damage, along with offering emotional and spiritual care.

Stand by for further updates as information comes available. Please continue to pray for survivors, first responders and governmental leaders.