March 26, 2020
Rick Lance, executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM), announced today (March 26) that Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief (ABDR) is donating 2,000 N95 masks to local law enforcement agencies and hospitals in the state.
“We are using current supplies to meet specific requests,” Lance wrote in a tweet.
Mark Wakefield, SBOM disaster relief strategist, said the majority of masks — 1,600 total — were given to two hospitals, Southeast Alabama Medical Center in Dothan and Walker Baptist Medical Center in Jasper.
The Autauga County Sheriff’s Department and the Prattville City Police Department asked for and were given 200 masks each.
Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief teams coordinated by local Baptist associations throughout the state use the masks for flood recovery response because they are the industry standard for protecting volunteers in spaces where mold and dust are generally present on surfaces and in the air, Wakefield said.
Several associations have reported giving their supply of masks to local hospitals and medical clinics.
Etowah Baptist Association Associational Mission Director Craig Carlisle said in a March 22 Facebook post that the association’s Disaster Relief team was donating 60 masks to Gadsden Regional Medical Center.
Limestone Baptist Association Associational Mission Director Kevin Ward said March 23 on Facebook that the association’s Disaster Relief team was delivering cases of hazmat suits and masks to Athens-Limestone Hospital.
“Praying they don’t need them but glad to make them available,” Ward wrote. “Pray for our hospital staff as they serve our community during this season.”
Wakefield said many individual Disaster Relief units and churches across the state are sharing their resources and offering to help however they can.
“Often local folks are able to plug into a niche, and we’re cheering them on,” Wakefield said. (Carrie Brown McWhorter)
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