• Chris Raymer

The Salvation Army Preparing to Respond to Tropical Storm Karen

Atlanta, GA (October 4, 2014) - Salvation Army personnel throughout the Gulf Coast are closely monitoring Tropical Storm Karen which could potentially develop into Hurricane Karen as it approaches land. Salvation Army units throughout Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi are putting their combined fleet of 76 mobile feeding unit canteens on alert for immediate response.

"Depending on their size, our  mobile feeding units can serve between 500 to 2,000 meals per day," said Florida Divisional Disaster Director Kevin Smith.  "Right now, our priority is to get ready for the storm regardless of where landfall occurs.  We have put our mobile feeding units on stand-by, and we are coordinating closely with local and state emergency management agencies.  Our motto in disaster work is to hope for the best, but to prepare for the worst."

In addition to feeding, The Salvation Army is ready to provide other services if Tropical Storm Karen causes significant damage along the Gulf Coast or further inland.  Typical Salvation Army disaster services include the distribution of cleaning supplies, such as brooms, mops, and buckets; the distribution of drinking water; and the provision of emotional and spiritual care.

The Salvation Army encourages all residents of areas in the storm’s path to prepare an Emergency supply kit and stay informed to all warnings. Disaster response professionals recommend having a three to five day supply of food and water for each individual of your family as well as flashlights, medication, and battery powered radio. For more information on how you can get ready for the storm, visit our hurricane preparedness page at http://tinyurl.com/ntnts9b

The Salvation Army asks people who want to support its Emergency Disaster Services to visit www.disaster.salvationarmyusa.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY. Checks may be mailed to the following address: Disaster Gift Processing Center, P.O. Box 1959, Atlanta, GA 30301.  Monetary donations are needed to meet survivors’ most immediate needs. A $30 donation provides one food box, containing staple foods for a family of four, or one household cleanup kit, containing brooms, mops, buckets and other cleaning supplies.

For the latest emergency disaster services news, follow the EDS team on Twitter @SalArmyEDS.

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About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for more than 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar spent is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.