While long-term recovery efforts are still underway in several states affected by 2024’s record breaking Hurricane Season, The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services is preparing for the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane season, which begins June 1. With the NOAA predicting another above average season and potentially three to five major hurricanes, The Salvation Army is committed to staying ready to respond quickly and efficiently when called upon.
To accomplish this, The Salvation Army begins preparations long before a hurricane has formed. With seven dedicated warehouses strategically located throughout the Southeast, The Salvation Army stockpiles critical supplies like water, shelf-stable food boxes, cleaning supplies, infant care items, and hygiene and comfort kits. This allows resources to quickly be sent wherever they are needed for response.
This year, The Salvation Army Southern Territory added 16 new mobile feeding units, two for each of its eight divisions. These vehicles not only expand and update the existing fleet but also contain innovative new technologies including a battery power system, GPS tracking, and onboard Starlink connectivity to enable teams to provide internet connectivity to survivors who might otherwise be unable to navigate online assistance systems.
Other key additions to The Salvation Army’s fleet of specialized equipment include a 53-foot refrigerated trailer, a vehicle maintenance trailer that functions as an on-site mechanic shop for deployed units, a mobile command unit, and multiple bunkhouses and shower/restroom trailers. These additions will allow Incident Management teams to establish a basecamp and set up for large scales responses rapidly.
Training, whether internally for Salvation Army personnel or externally with other emergency response agencies, is also essential to ensure readiness for response. The Southern Territory has hosted over 53 certified disaster training classes and exercises since last hurricane season to ensure EDS professionals and volunteers are equipped with necessary skills. Some of these classes included canteen maintenance, food preparation, mental health first-aid, and emotional and spiritual care.
“The Salvation Army has over a century of experience with disaster response,” said Jeff Jellets, Southern Territorial Disaster Coordinator. “But we never stop trying to improve. Through comprehensive training, we are not only building the skills and knowledge of our personnel but also instilling the compassion and dedication that are at the core of The Salvation Army’s mission.”
