• Shelley Henderson

Rule Number One - Care for the Survivors

Columbia, SC (October 8, 2015)—“The first rule of disaster relief is care for the survivors. The second rule is care for the first responders. The third rule is, when in doubt, refer to rule number one.” –Craig Fugate, FEMA Director

As of today, an army of twenty Salvation Army mobile feeding kitchens (canteens) are rolling through South Carolina. Our ground troops are the many Salvation Army officers and trained emergency disaster volunteers who are manning the canteen. Their cargo is desperately needed food and water for people impacted by the flooding. They are armed with compassion and the love of God.

The Salvation Army canteens are going to the communities where people are most impacted by the floods. Places where, if not for The Salvation Army and its many partners, people would not eat. 

Here is a snapshot of a couple of the people The Salvation Army is serving:
• A cotton and peanut farmer who lost his entire crop.
• A member of the National Guard who was serving as a first responder.
• A school teacher from a rural town.
• A young boy who loves the pork chops we delivered.
• A woman who is trying to get food to her parents who cannot get out.
• One community whose closest grocery store is 30 minutes away. It was destroyed in the flood.

A disaster survivor could be anybody – even you or me. Disaster strikes rural towns and big cities, the young, the old, the rich, the poor, and in between. We are thankful for our many partnerships and the community that supports us.

In the days and weeks ahead, The Salvation Army will be rolling through the streets following Rule Number 1—care for the survivors. We can do this because you support us. Thank you from The Salvation Army and on behalf of the many survivors and first responders we are serving.

You can help by your financial gifts to support Salvation Army disaster relief efforts. 100% of donations go to directly to the disaster.

• By phone: 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769)
• Online:https://donate.salvationarmyusa.org/disaster/East-Coast-Floods-Disaster-Relief
• By mail: Send your gift to The Salvation Army Disaster Relief PO BOX 1959 Atlanta, GA 30301  Please make checks payable to "The Salvation Army" and clearly mark your gift "East Coast Floods."
• By Text: Text STORM to 51555 to receive a donation link for easy mobile giving

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About The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services
“The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.” While every disaster is unique and creates its own special needs, the core of The Salvation Army's disaster program consists of several basic services. And while these services address many of the typical needs of a disaster survivor, Salvation Army disaster relief is also flexible. Our services are adapted to the specific needs of individuals and communities and scalable according to the magnitude of the disaster.