PRESS RELEASE

Salvation Army Joins Strike Teams to
Assess Hurricane Ike Damage

September 15, 2008 – The Salvation Army on Saturday deployed five mobile disaster response units as part of three Texas National Guard “Strike Teams” that are responding to storm-affected areas in the wake of Hurricane Ike.

The Salvation Army will provide hot meals, hydration and emotional and spiritual care to military personnel, emergency responders and others affected by the storm. The three strike teams staged operations in Galveston, Lufkin and Beaumont, Tex., and will be planning for the long-term response during the next several days.

“The early indications are that this storm is the worst of the five we have already responded to in the 2008 hurricane season,” said Major Marshall Gesner, Greater Houston Area Commander for The Salvation Army. “With more than 4 million people without power, wide-spread flooding and high temperatures forecast for the area, our response will be about twice the size of our effort for Hurricane Gustav.”

As part of the operation, two Salvation Army mobile canteens units—equipped with commercial kitchen equipment—joined a caravan of nearly 35 military vehicles as they moved into Galveston. Two canteens staged an operation from Lufkin, while one is serving from Beaumont to serve recovery efforts near the Ford Arena.

The Salvation Army began staging its overall disaster response effort in San Antonio and Tyler earlier this week. In total, the Army has a fleet of more than 60 canteens on active duty for this storm. Three 48-foot, mobile kitchens are being deployed to the most affected areas. The Salvation Army also is using new satellite communications equipment that creates local phone and Internet networks for its incident command teams. Throughout Texas, the Army is supporting the evacuation and shelter effort in at least 12 locations.

As part of its disaster response operation, The Salvation Army also is pre-positioning personnel and inventories to provide those affected by the storm with:

  • Clean-up kits containing brooms, mops, buckets and cleaning supplies
  • Hygiene kits
  • Drinking water
  • Shower units
  • First-aid supplies
  • Missing persons support through The Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (www.satern.org) and
  • Emotional/spiritual care

The Salvation Army serves in more than 100 countries and provides both immediate emergency assistance and long-term recovery help in the event of any disaster. Funds for The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services come from corporate and private donations given specifically for disaster relief. To volunteer with The Salvation Army or to make a credit card donation, call 651-746-3400 or 1-800-SAL-ARMY. Checks made out to The Salvation Army may be sent to 2445 Prior Ave., Roseville, MN 55113. Click below to make an online donation.