Officials asked to re-evaluate response

CELINA - Celina First Church of God Pastor Craig Flack asked county officials on Tuesday morning to re-evaluate their emergency plan after his church became the focal point of last week's tornado-recovery efforts.

Though church staff were happy to assist, they ultimately were overwhelmed by the number of calls, volunteers and donated items that came pouring in after an EF3 tornado tore through northwestern Celina on Memorial Day.

"The county's plan can't be 'whatever church is closest,' that pastor becomes emergency management director for our county that day," Flack told county commissioners Jerry Laffin and Greg Homan. "I think the churches in this town are wonderful and they can be great hands and feet of Christ and serving people and loving people, but without proper training …"

After the tornado hit late Monday, Flack said city safety service director Tom Hitchcock asked if city officials could use the church's parking lot, which is near the devastated area.

The church then became the de facto recovery site because of all the city and emergency vehicles parked there, Flack said.

"We never asked to be declared as that," he said.

All of a sudden, people started showing up with water and food.

"From there it kind of snowballed into probably the craziest 72 hours of my career and life," Flack said. "Basically, I just wanted to give you guys the reality so that you can plan in the future."

Church officials fielded more than 400 calls in five days from people asking how to donate various items, he said. In one instance, Flack said he told a person no more water was needed, but the caller said it was on its way regardless.

"People just started coming. When I say 'people' I mean hundreds of people coming to our church property looking at me, going, 'Where do I go?' " Flack said.

Flack said he has been trained how to teach the Bible not to oversee disaster-relief efforts.

He noted that he isn't angry. He is grateful to be able to assist. However, he hopes officials learn how to respond better before disaster strikes again.

Mercer County Emergency Management Agency Director Mike Robbins told commissioners that he didn't ask for help quickly enough.

"I needed help sooner to make those phone calls and get stuff started," he said.

After the tornado had passed through, Robbins said he coordinated with state officials and then met with city officials.

"I was out there … sometime in the middle of the night, and we couldn't do any damage assessment. You couldn't see anything. I met with the mayor several times, the police chief, fire chief," he said.

The Mercer County Council on Aging's Senior Center is the designated location for donated items, but Robbins said he opted not to use the site.

"At one point, I did think that they were going to be overwhelmed so I didn't do it," he said.

CALL Ministries stepped up to manage donations, he said.

"CALL Ministries is ready to jump in as a distribution point, and I think they're a very good distribution point because they have the space, and they're open where people can go in and get what they need," he said.

Robbins noted the ranks of the Medical Reserve Corps volunteers has thinned out over the years. Those volunteers provide support before, during and after disasters.

He also pointed out that communication was an issue. Robbins said he provides information to traditional media but is not an avid user of social media.

Robbins said various county and city officials will assemble at 1:30 p.m. Thursday in the courthouse auditorium to discuss a long-term recovery plan.

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