NATCHEZ &045;&045; While some are doing everything they can to get away from Ivan, others are planning to go into the heart of the affected area.

The Rev. Dale Little of the Adams-Union Baptist Association said he will go south with the Southern Baptist Convention’s disaster relief team, which works in conjunction with Red Cross efforts, as soon as Friday morning.

The team won’t know until then, he said, which area is most in need, although he suspects the Pascagoula area will be hard-hit.

Little has gone to six disaster sites with such teams since 1985, when he worked with a disaster assistance team in Mexico City after a massive earthquake.

At the scene, Little generally works in communications &045;&045; computers, ham radio, anything that can be used to get vital information in and out of a disaster area without telephone service.

But volunteers pitch in wherever needed. During the recent hurricanes in Florida, Little said, more than 100,000 meals were served by Baptist volunteers.

Churches also help out by making contributions to disaster relief year-round, he said.

The Salvation Army is also sending a disaster relief team south today or Friday, and local Executive Director Jeanne Bruner will be among its members.

&uot;We assess the situation as far the need for food and water, and we take orders for things like food and clothing,&uot; Bruner said.

Entergy is planning to send dozens of employees to the affected area as early as today, said local spokesman Stephen Carothers.

&uot;We just had 150 Entergy employees come back from Florida before lunch (Wednesday), and we’re housing them in Jackson for the time being,&uot; he said.

Although a certain number of employees must stay at home to handle routine maintenance and the like, &uot;if we get up (today) and there’s not any damage here,&uot; employees will be sent to the area affected by Ivan, he said.

Numbers on how many Natchez-based employees would be sent were not available as of press time.