Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief closes a full 2025, looks ahead to a busy 2026 By HENRY DURAND, The Christian Index Wednesday, October 22, 2025 ALPHARETTA, Ga. — As Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief (GBDR) wrapped 2025 with eight well-attended trainings, multiple out-of-state deployments, and continued service at home, the ministry is looking forward to new service opportunities and a full training schedule in 2026. “We have just finished a year of eight very fruitful Disaster Relief trainings from the far northwest, to the coast, to the Florida state line,” wrote GBDR director Dwain Carter in a year-end note to volunteers. “Word of mouth from our volunteers to their sphere of friends and others is how this ministry grows. Thank you for your faithfulness to Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief. Your dedication is very evident.” GBDR will close out the year with Chainsaw School in Sandersville, Nov. 7–8. In 2025, GBDR teams answered calls close to home and across state lines. Continuing the response in the wake of last September’s Hurricane Helene, volunteers deployed to Augusta in January for two weeks of chainsaw and cleanup operations. That work is ongoing, according to Tim Batchelor, director of missions for the Hephzibah Baptist Association. “Our Disaster Relief unit continues to have projects in our communities as some still are in need of having damaged trees cut or downed trees removed from yards,” Batchelor said. Georgia units also responded three times in Kentucky and once in Missouri. In April, Georgia volunteers managed a multi-county recovery site based at Buck Creek Baptist Church in Calhoun, Kentucky, coordinating cleanup and recovery, feeding, assessment, chaplaincy, incident management, and family care. By the close of that operation, Georgia teams had logged 430 volunteer days, completed 26 mud-outs, placed 238 Bibles with homeowners, held 73 gospel conversations, and rejoiced as five people professed faith in Christ. Shortly after returning from that assignment, Georgia teams were asked again to assist Kentucky, this time on tornado recovery centered around London, Kentucky. “In the midst of disaster, God continues to open doors for ministry,” Carter said. Between major incidents, local recovery teams kept serving their communities in Georgia, Carter said, “keeping their skills sharp and the equipment in top-notch working condition.” In addition to chainsaw and recovery crews, other GBDR ministries stayed busy. Feeding teams supported Kentucky responses and cooked for Chainsaw Schools and local events. Several site leaders completed ServSafe Manager certification, keeping field kitchens inspection-ready. Volunteers also helped cover kitchen duties at the Pinnacle Retreat Center during a staff medical leave. On the care side, chaplains and family-care volunteers received additional training in Critical Incident Stress Management, led by Ricky Thrasher, strengthening GBDR’s capacity to minister to survivors and responders in crisis. Behind the scenes, GBDR invested in systems and equipment. Assessors will use new iPads to complete electronic assessments. “This is a huge step forward,” Carter said. Meanwhile, the Incident Management Team can now field four fully outfitted command centers (one large, two medium, one small), with Starlink, Wi-Fi, upgraded computers, and an Asset Management/Protection unit to enhance overnight site security. The Shower/Laundry ministry continues to expand, adding one new shower unit and two laundry units (one still in production), and staying busy year-round supporting mission teams. Carter shared that two new ministry areas have been added and equipped to serve. The Rebuild ministry will help homeowners with continuing needs after the initial cleanup of their property in the wake of a disaster, and the Logistics team will keep up with equipment maintenance as well as manage truck operations and drivers. In July, Carter convened unit directors and the GBDR Leadership Team at the Georgia Baptist Mission Board’s new Alpharetta offices. The session highlighted a potential new database for volunteer, deployment, and asset tracking—another modernization aimed at getting the right people and tools to the right place, fast. Beyond field deployments, GBDR has introduced Becoming a Disaster Ready Church, a church-level initiative designed to help congregations protect their people, prepare their facilities for use, and love their communities before and after a disaster. More details will be shared as the program rolls out. Looking ahead to 2026, more in-person training events are planned across the state. The events will include Disaster Relief Introduction (required for all first-time attendees and those recertifying) plus specialized training in Chaplaincy, Family Care, Cleanup and Recovery, Feeding, and Shower Units. Assessment, Heavy Equipment, and IMT/Support training will also be available. Online registration is required. Dates, locations, and registration links (opening late fall) will be available on the Training tab at gabaptist.org/disasterrelief. --- PHOTOS --- File: 20251022-100913-787-DR trailer 2.jpg Caption: A Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief command trailer is displayed Tuesday, Aug. 12, at the official opening of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board’s new ministry center and administrative offices in Alpharetta. (Index/Henry Durand, File)