• Philip Burn

Multiple Salvation Army Units in Texas Placed on Standby In Response to Hurricane Hanna

Dallas, Texas (July 25, 2020) – Multiple Salvation Army disaster units in Texas are fully stocked and on standby for deployment in response to Hurricane Hanna after the Category 1 storm made landfall in South Texas on Saturday evening. Widespread flooding is a possibility in the area as a result of the slow moving storm and Salvation Army staff will continue to closely monitor the storm over the next 24 hours.  

The Salvation Army has been in communication with all affected field units and placed six mobile feeding units on standby for pre-positioning closer to the affected area. Each mobile feeding unit has the capacity to deliver up to 1,500 meals per day. In addition, eight 3,500 meal push packs and a supply of bottled water will be staged in San Antonio ahead of possible transportation to affected communities.

“We will be carefully watching the system overnight and have units and staff throughout South Texas ready to respond and provide food, drinks, and emotional and spiritual care to those affected and to first responders working to help. The McAllen Salvation Army has already opened its facility as a pre-landfall shelter at the request of Hidalgo County,” said Alvin Migues, Texas Emergency Services Director for The Salvation Army. “Of course, all teams will be paying special attention to safety protocols put into place due to COVID-19, wearing PPE and social distancing.”

Captain Patrick Gesner, with The Salvation Army in Corpus Christi, has been actively working with local staff in preparation for Hurricane Hanna making landfall and any resulting response efforts. “We’ve been preparing for the last three days and held a special Zoom meeting with key staff to go over response procedures in light of COVID-19. We have additional staff on duty at our shelters to assure safety procedures are followed and residents of our centers were briefed yesterday on all protocols,” said Gesner. “We will be ready to support those affected by this storm, both in our own programs and in the community. The Salvation Army was here before and after Hurricane Harvey and we will be here to serve after Hanna as well!”

For the latest information please go to www.disaster.salvationarmy.org and watch for regular updates on our social media pages at www.facebook.com/salvationarmytexas/ and www.twitter.com/salarmytx. To make a donation go www.helpsalvationarmy.org.