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Released 29 August 2012
Mobile Feeding Units and Kitchen Prepared to Serve More than 31,000 Daily Meals
Alexandria, Virginia - With Isaac officially upgraded to a category one hurricane, The Salvation Army is mobilizing its emergency response teams and supplies along the Gulf Coast in preparation for landfall. The storm is expected to continue gaining strength with storm surges and heavy rainfalls, with a path through New Orleans and the southeastern Louisiana coast later this evening or early Wednesday morning. The Salvation Army is prepared to provide food and hydration as well as emotional and spiritual care to anyone impacted by Hurricane Isaac.
"The Salvation Army is mobilized and ready to serve," said Major George Hood, National Community Relations Secretary for The Salvation Army in the United States. "Our emergency disaster response teams will continue to closely monitor the storm track and utilize our resources to reach survivors and first responders."
The Salvation Army has 12 mobile feeding units, a fully equipped 54-foot field kitchen, and up to 60 personnel staging in Hattiesburg, MS in advance of Hurricane Isaac, and an additional 12 feeding units are prepared to deploy directly to affected areas immediately following the storm. Located roughly 70 miles inland, Hattiesburg provides a secure location to marshal Salvation Army forces, while also providing access to most coastal areas within two hours. The 24 mobile feeding units and the field kitchen have a combined daily feeding capacity of more than 31,000 meals.
Additionally, The Salvation Army is continuing to prepare for possible impact along the Florida Panhandle. Throughout the state of Florida, The Salvation Army has already provided more than 1,600 meals, 1700 drinks, nearly 300 showers and 550 cases of spiritual and emotional care. Additionally, two mobile feeding units capable of serving 1,000 hot meals and cold bottled water are currently in the Wellington and Lake Worth communities following massive flooding and widespread power outages. The Salvation Army is also supporting first responders and survivors with hydration in downtown Tampa and surrounding areas.
The Salvation Army is also making necessary preparations to have additional personnel trained in spiritual and emotional care on the front lines, recognizing that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder could be a significant problem in these communities. The unexpected nature of a storm, coupled with the stresses of evacuation, financial needs and rebuilding, can leave survivors physically, emotionally and spiritually drained. The Salvation Army's ministry of presence provides compassionate care to residents looking for hope in the midst of turmoil. Pastoral care is available for all those impacted, but is not a prerequisite for receiving assistance from The Salvation Army.
In addition to food, hydration and emotional and spiritual care, The Salvation Army is also prepared to provide:
• Clean-up kits containing brooms, mops, buckets and cleaning supplies
• Hygiene kits
• Shower units
• First-aid supplies
• Communications support
The Salvation Army encourages all residents of areas in the storm's path to prepare an emergency supply kit and stay informed of all warnings and evacuation orders. Disaster response professionals recommend having a three to five day supply of food and water for each member of your family as well as flashlights, medication and battery powered radios.
The Salvation Army asks people who want to help those affected by this disaster to visit www.salvationarmyusa.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769). Donors may also contribute $10 via their phone bill by text messaging the word STORM to 80888, and confirming the donation with the word, "Yes." Checks may be made out to The Salvation Army Disaster Relief, PO BOX 1959 Atlanta, GA 30301. Please designate "2012 Hurricane Relief" on all checks.
At this point, in-kind donations, such as used clothing and used furniture, are not being accepted for hurricane relief. However, these items are vital to supporting the day-to-day work of your local Salvation Army. Please consider giving these items to your local Salvation Army Family Store or dial 1-800-SA-TRUCK (1-800-728-7825).
For more information on The Salvation Army's preparation and response to Hurricane Isaac, please visit http://blog.salvationarmyusa.org/, www.facebook.com/salvationarmyusa or www.twitter.com/salvationarmyus.
Personnel Staging Supplies throughout Gulf Coast and Ready to Provide Emotional and Spiritual Care
Alexandria, Virginia - The Salvation Army is staging emergency response teams and supplies in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and other states as Tropical Storm Isaac makes its way through the Gulf of Mexico with landfall expected on the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. The storm is expected to gain strength as a category one hurricane by Tuesday evening, with a course that may take it through New Orleans with heavy rainfall and strong winds. The Salvation Army is prepared to not only provide food and hydration, but also emotional and spiritual care to anyone who may be impacted by Isaac.
"We are taking every precaution to make sure that anyone who is impacted by Tropical Storm Isaac-resident or emergency responder-has all they need to make it through the storm, physically and spiritually," said Major George Hood, National Community Relations Secretary for The Salvation Army in the United States. "Our personnel are taking the storm very seriously and will be ready to respond and move into impacted areas to provide needed support."
The Salvation Army has already provided services to Florida residents impacted by Isaac over the weekend. The storm left thousands of Floridians without power and caused flooding in low-lying areas. The Salvation Army helped prepare meals and served hundreds at shelters throughout the Florida Keys. The Salvation Army is also supporting first responders and survivors with hydration in downtown Tampa and surrounding areas.
Salvation Army personnel throughout the central Gulf Coast are closely monitoring the storm track. The Army has 24 mobile feeding units and a fully equipped 54-foot field kitchen ready for immediate deployment to the affected communities in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi.
The Salvation Army is also making necessary preparations to have additional personnel trained in spiritual and emotional care on the front lines, recognizing that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder could be a significant problem in these communities. The unexpected nature of a storm, coupled with the stresses of evacuation, financial needs and rebuilding, can leave physically, emotionally and spiritually drained. The Salvation Army's ministry of presence provides compassionate care to residents looking for hope in the midst of turmoil. Pastoral care is available for all those impacted, but is not a prerequisite for receiving assistance from The Salvation Army.
In addition to feeding and spiritual care, The Salvation Army is also prepared to provide:
- Clean-up kits containing brooms, mops, buckets and cleaning supplies
- Hygiene kits
- Shower units
- First-aid supplies
- Emotional/spiritual care
The Salvation Army encourages all residents of areas in the storm's path to prepare an emergency supply kit and stay informed of all warnings and evacuation orders. Disaster response professionals recommend having a three to five day supply of food and water for each member of your family as well as flashlights, medication and battery powered radios.
The Salvation Army asks people who want to help those affected by this disaster to visit www.salvationarmyusa.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769). Donors may also contribute $10 via their phone bill by text messaging the word STORM to 80888, and confirming the donation with the word, "Yes." Checks may be made out to The Salvation Army Disaster Relief, PO BOX 1959 Atlanta, GA 30301. Please designate "2012 Hurricane Relief" on all checks.
At this point, in-kind donations are not being accepted for hurricane relief. While used clothing and furniture are seldom required during an incident, these gifts are vitally important in supporting the day-to-day work of your local Salvation Army. Please consider supporting our disaster relief efforts with cash gifts and donate your used items to your local Salvation Army Family Store or dial 1-800-SA-TRUCK (1-800-728-7825).
For more information on The Salvation Army's preparation and response to Tropical Storm Isaac, please visit http://blog.salvationarmyusa.org/, www.facebook.com/salvationarmyusa or www.twitter.com/salvationarmyus.