WAYCROSS — The fires crept closer. At one point the flames were a mere 150 feet from swings, desks, and sleeping mats at Ruskin Elementary School.

But due to a six-day countywide vacation because of the state’s largest wildfires, no Ware County students were in danger of the towering flames. When the fire subsided and students returned to classes on April 25, lingering smoke in air conditioning vents at Ruskin prevented students from returning to their campus.

For that day and the next, Sweat Memorial Baptist Church opened its doors and its classrooms to 400 students and faculty. Located seven miles away from the school and the fire line, the church served as sanctuary for those needing a temporary refuge.

“We knew we were large enough to accommodate them,” said pastor Freddie Smith. “The logistics of our building and parking lot fit them. Church staff was available for the school, but they had their own staff to set up and run things.”

Georgia Baptist churches in and around Waycross joined in helping firefighters and other rescue personal battling the largest blaze in state history. By the time it was 80% contained May 7, more than 100,000 acres were charred. Officials believe the fire will finally burn itself out in June.

Caring for firefighters and providing needed supplies became a major way of contributing for churches.

Baby wipes, towels, lip balm, sunscreen, and Visine became small treasures for those keeping the fire from homes. Central Baptist Church was one of many donating such items, though associate pastor Porky Haynes was quick to credit the entire Waycross community.

“These people have responded in an incredible way,” he pointed out May 1. “There has been a tremendous cooperative effort in getting sports drinks and other liquids to firemen.”

Churches, including Central, made their facilities available for evacuees, added Haynes.

“Something like this pushes a nerve button and calls people together. It lets us know how important it is to pull together and help others. It’s still so smoky out there right now that it looks like a fog bank. The biggest thing we need right now is to pray for rain!”

Members of Pleasant Valley Baptist Church combined their Words of Encouragement ministry with handing out supplies. Eye drops, pain reliever, and sunscreen were combined with Bible verses for a physical and spiritual lift.

“Our church was ready to jump in and be involved,” said pastor John Martin, who is also a chaplain with disaster relief. “Some of our folks are trained in the feeding units and others just wanted to help. Many have been going out as early as six in the morning to hand out supplies.”

“The reality is that every church in the association contributed in some way,” said Freddy Gardner, missions team leader for Piedmont/Okefenokee Assocation. “We’ve been overwhelmed with support.”

At Sweat Memorial, space for Sunday school and choir rehearsal became classrooms. Staff offices were loaned out to guidance counsellors. The social hall turned into a cafeteria.

Overseeing things on the first day, Ware County Schools director of public relations Theresa Ware couldn’t say enough about the smooth transition.

“It all looks very calm. We’re so appreciative of them for this,” she said. “When we checked attendance this morning, there were far fewer students absent than we were expecting. It’s really a beautiful setup.”

Some makeshift changes had to be made on the fly. Breakfast and lunches were prepared elsewhere and brought in. Orange cones in the parking lot marked lanes for buses and car riders.

Ware County Superintendent Joseph Barrow oversaw the distribution of 300 lapboards for students to use in rooms with chairs but no desks. The lapboards were provided by Glynn Academy in Brunswick, where Barrow had once served as principal.

Students were displaced by a wildfire that began April 16 and has since claimed 20 residences but no lives. In addition, an estimated $65 million in timber losses has been suffered in the region.

With most of its staff being bivocational, daytime hours at Sweat Memorial are pretty quiet, said administrative assistant Joy Haynes.

In spite of the overall brevity of the situation, her first name could only have been more appropriate April 25 if it was Giddy.

“The bathrooms and water fountain are across the hall and I have the little cherub faces looking through the glass at me,” she giggled. “It’s been unreal. Usually it’s just me here during the week. You can imagine how different it’s been.”

Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief dispatched feeding unit 9F from Blackshear. The team prepared close to 1,000 meals each day for firefighters, working in partnership with Ware Emergency Management. Gardner said funding for the feeding operation has come through the association.

Bud Shelton, leader of 9F, said although members of his team worked long hours, they didn’t compare to those on the front lines.

“My guys worked from 3:30 in the morning until 10:30 at night, but firefighters could come draggin’ in at any time. They’d be dirty from working six or ten hours straight before taking a break.,” said Shelton, who added that a shower unit was also available for firefighters.

“They were worn out and beat up. They majority of them are volunteers and used to fighting a fire for maybe 45 minutes or so. Their adrenaline gets going because they’ve never faced a fire like this before, but then they crash just as hard.”

As people in southeast Georgia pray for rain in the parched region, Gardner said the situation could have been much worse.

“Considering how serious this fire has been, there were relatively few homes lost, maybe 20. By the graciousness of the Lord, the fire didn’t move north; Waycross would have been exposed to it.”

Gardner related one story where a little divine intervention may have taken place.

As the fire approached Swamp Road Baptist Church, an Independent Baptist Church, the flames melted some water pipes entering a fellowship building. The pipes were made of PVC, and when they melted the resulting water burst held the fire at bay.

Gardner also said that Sand Hill Baptist Church in the Sand Hill community was unable to have services 29 due to heavy smoke.

When it became clear Ruskin Elementary wouldn’t be fit for usage, officials approached Smith and walked through Sweat Memorial April 19. After Sunday services the next day teachers came in to set up classrooms.

Although their stay was temporary, Martin said the impact of Sweat Memorial at the school will last for some time.

“We really want to thank Freddie Smith and this church for realizing that they had the facility to house the students and then for offering that for us,” she said. “We can’t say thanks enough.”

 

---

 

Go to the following websites for up-to-date information on the Sweat Farm Road/Big Turnaround Wildland Fire burning in southeast Georgia.

 

National Incident Information System - www.inciweb.org/incident/640

Georgia Forestry Commission - www.gatrees.org/

Satilla Regional Medical Center, Waycross - http://www.satilla.org/fireupdate/default.asp

Georgia Office of Homeland Security - http://www.gema.state.ga.us/