• Bradley Rowland

The Salvation Army Continues Emergency Response After Ida

Hurricane Ida has run its course but has left behind a path of damage and loss across eight states. Many Americans are still reeling from the substantial flooding, high temperatures, and power outages, and are now assessing the severe damage in their homes and neighborhoods.

In response to Ida’s widespread impact, The Salvation Army has expanded their massive operation further to meet immediate need through feeding, sheltering, emotional and spiritual care, and other services for survivors and first responders as widespread power outages and flooding affect Louisiana, Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. Trained emergency response teams are providing meals, water, supplies and care to the affected areas, with additional resources on the way.

“As Hurricane Ida continues to affect eight states, we must continue our response efforts,” said Robert Myers III, Emergency Disaster Services Coordinator for The Salvation Army. “The hurricane left behind a trail of damage from Louisiana to the Northeast. The Salvation Army is prepared to offer our support and help these communities rebuild.”

Disaster Preparedness Overview (September 4, 2021 | As of 1 p.m. ET)

Southern Territory Response:

• Trained emergency response teams in Louisiana have already provided:
  • 89,001 meals
  • 28,780 snacks
  • 65,326 drinks
  • 3,893 emotional and spiritual care meetings
  • 1,591 comfort and hygiene kits
  • 133 cases of water
  • 101 cleaning supplies and tools
• As of today, 40 mobile feeding units are now committed to Hurricane Ida relief operations and are serving food, drinks, supplies and emotional and spiritual care to survivors and first responders.
  • Each mobile feeding unit can serve 500 to 1,500 meals per day.
• Eight new feeding locations within the city of New Orleans have been identified; The Salvation Army will provide food and drinks at these locations for as long as they are needed.
  • Fixed feeding locations have been established in Albany, Baton Rouge, Bayou Blue, Bayou Dularge, Dulac, Hammond, Houma, LaRose, and Napoleonville.
  • Roaming feeding trucks are serving in Charvin, Cut Off, LaPlace, Napoleonville, and Raceland.
• The Salvation Army currently has 144 disaster workers assigned to Hurricane Ida relief in the south, who have already given over 7,032 hours of service.
• Staging centers for relief supplies and assets have been established in Beaumont, TX and Jackson, MS and two incident management teams with personnel drawn from Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas) are running relief operations from Incident Command Posts in New Orleans and Gonzales.
• The Salvation Army is working in partnership with the Southern Baptists who will be deploying three field kitchens with the capacity to serve 30,000 meals.

Eastern Territory Response:

• Because the remnants of Hurricane Ida came so shortly after Hurricane Henri impacted northeastern states, many communities were at an increased risk of flooding which could limit the ability of relief teams to reach those in need.
• Multiple Salvation Army facilities have incurred flood damage.
• Incident command centers have been established in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York.
• The Salvation Army is partnering with city and state officials to determine impacts and coordinate response efforts.
• Mobile feeding units have been staged for deployment to serve food, drinks, and emotional and spiritual care to survivors and first responders.
• Cleanup kits have been distributed to highly affected areas of New York such as Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island.
• Fixed Salvation Army locations are being prepared to provide feeding and other needed support to those affected.
• Emergency shelters are being created to meet immediate needs.

For more information on The Salvation Army’s continued response, visit disaster.salvationarmyusa.org. To make a financial gift and support Hurricane Ida relief:

• Visit give.helpsalvationarmy.org
• Call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769)
• Text GIVE to 52000 to donate $10 automatically through your cell phone bill