OBI staff and volunteers load heaters into a truck for distribution to Kentucky residents. OBI purchased $10,000 worth of kerosene heaters and fuel cans.

GREENVILLE, Kentucky - For more than 607,000 residents of Kentucky still without heat or power, a winter storm has become their worst nightmare.

Earlier this week, a massive storm pushed across Missouri, Kentucky and other states, dumping snow and freezing rain.

“It’s worse than what we thought,” said Ken Weidner, emergency management director for Sumner County, Tennessee. “There are trees and power lines down, ice and snow everywhere.”

Weidner contacted Operation Blessing to request heaters and – within hours – OBI disaster relief teams were en route to bring aid to residents.

Winter storms have downed trees and power lines, leaving hundreds of thousands without power.

“Many have been able to go to emergency shelters, but there are others – primarily farmers and elderly residents – who were afraid to leave their properties and stayed behind to care for their farms and livestock,” said Jody Herrington, OBI’s U.S. director of disaster relief.

“Within 24 hours of getting the request, we were able to secure and purchase $10,000 worth of kerosene heaters and fuel cans that will be distributed to these residents in need,” Herrington added.

OBI disaster relief teams are partnering with staff from Global Revival Center of Tenn. to transport the heaters to Kentucky.

Additionally, OBI is also providing food and aid to affected residents in Caruthersville, Missouri, through Day of Hope, a partnering ministry.

Day of Hope, which receives monthly truckloads of food and relief from Operation Blessing’s Hunger Strike Force, is distributing more than 39,000 pounds of OB-donated product such as tea, soup, diapers, and other aid to storm victims at city-wide “warming stations.”

“By being able to respond so quickly to the need – within 24 hours of getting the request – we are truly able to bring relief in real time and help these disaster victims,” Herrington said.

OBI staff is in communication with federal, state and local emergency management in Missouri and Kentucky to continue coordinating disaster assistance and relief supplies as needed.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
You can help by making an online donation toward OBI's disaster relief efforts. With your support, we can continue to provide emergency relief and recovery. Please make an on-line donation today.

------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright © 1997- 2010 by Operation Blessing International of this page and all contents. No part of this site may be used without prior written consent from OBI. All Rights Reserved. Questions or comments? Email us at operation.blessing@ob.org.