Samaritan's Purse Continues Relief Efforts Two Months After Winter Storm Fern

Samaritan's Purse volunteers are still hard at work in Oxford and Lafayette County two months after late-January ice storms left the community buried under fallen trees and damaged homes. While the scale of the initial emergency has receded, the work on the ground has not.

Winter Storm Fern devastated Oxford and Lafayette County over the weekend of January 23-25, causing widespread power outages and leaving roads and driveways coated in ice. Lafayette County had about 20,000 customers without electricity at midday on January 25, roughly 75% of all customers in the county. Tree damage in Fern's hardest-hit areas like Oxford will take months if not years to fully document, and experts have called it immeasurable and catastrophic.

Samaritan's Purse deployed disaster response teams to hard-hit areas in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Tennessee after the powerful winter storm system inundated the Southeast, where freezing rain and sleet caused dangerous ice accumulation, extensive tree and electrical damage, and more than two dozen deaths. Three Disaster Response Units, tractor-trailers packed with relief supplies and equipment, were deployed to the region, with one base of operations established in Oxford.

Samaritan's Purse has been looking for volunteers to help with the mountain of work remaining, with teams assisting homeowners affected by the storm with debris cleanup and tree work. Volunteer teams have been removing fallen trees and other debris from properties, and also have opportunities to share the Gospel and encourage struggling families. Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplains have been on hand at all locations to provide emotional support and spiritual encouragement to homeowners.

Samaritan's Purse has not been working alone. The Lafayette County Emergency Management Agency, local churches, and volunteer coalitions have all been part of the coordinated recovery response. Samaritan's Purse continues to work across the region as people recover from the storm, and has received thousands of requests from hurting homeowners while continuing to need volunteers.

Jason Kimak, vice president of U.S. Disaster Relief Programs for Samaritan's Purse, said: "There's still a lot of work to be done, and we need more volunteers to come alongside us and serve this community. As we serve, we're sharing the love and hope of Jesus Christ and reminding people that they have not been forgotten."

Lafayette County was among 34 counties approved for all categories of FEMA Public Assistance, which reimburses local and state government agencies for costs of emergency response, debris removal, and restoration of disaster-damaged public facilities and infrastructure.

Volunteer opportunities include overnight and day shifts, require no prior skills, and are led by experienced team leads, with a minimum stay of three days for overnight volunteers. Those interested in joining relief efforts in Oxford can sign up at spvolunteer.org.