By By Mary-Allison Lancaster Managing editor
More than two-dozen Southern Baptists will become chainsaw-certified this week, following two days of classes, culminated by an all-day tree-cutting event on Saturday.
The Escambia Baptist Association, which consists of 35 Southern Baptist churches, is attempting to certify the people who have already signed up so they will be able to respond to disasters in other areas.
In order to provide disaster relief out-of-state and in other areas, one must take classes to become certified. This week, men and women who were already confirmed to take the class, will focus strictly on chainsaw certification.
According to Pat Andrews, the director of missions for EBA, it takes 16 hours to be certified. He added that there are other training opportunities offered within the state.
The men and women paid a registration fee that covered four meals and two training manuals.
The men and women will begin their first session Thursday night and break directly after supper into the first session.
They will then meet again Friday evening and take a three-hour classroom session on chainsaw work and debris removal training.
The team will meet behind the church on Saturday and they will proceed to cut "bad trees and trees already down" until 3 p.m.
The three-day event was designed only for the Southern Baptist churches, will serve as a ministry team and was based on a limited reservation list.