(Press Release)

As Hurricane Ike rips through Texas, The Salvation Army is busy preparing Canteens to move in with the first Texas Military Forces Strike Teams today.

Salvation Army Disaster Teams will follow Strike Teams into Galveston, Beaumont and Lufkin. The two Canteens moving into Galveston are from Kerrville and McAllen Salvation Army locations. A Canteen from Tyler, TX, will be moving toward Lufkin. Major Estrada, Commanding Officer in Beaumont, will be in Beaumont to take care of recovery efforts at the Ford Arena.

Beaumont, TX, is currently experiencing 75 mph winds, though The Salvation Army Corps facility and warehouse sustained a small amount of damage.

The Salvation Army continues supporting the evacuation and shelter operations ordered by the State. The Army has deployed a fleet of more than 60 mobile canteen units, along with satellite communications equipment and other materials and is preparing a disaster response operation that could rival the one it mounted for Hurricane Katrina, its largest ever.

“A storm of this size and intensity threatening a metropolitan area presents an enormous danger,” said Major James Taylor, Texas Divisional Secretary for The Salvation Army. “Hurricane-force winds and wide-spread flooding could not only cause loss of life and property, but could displace thousands of people for an indefinite period of time. We’ll need public support to ensure a viable long-term response effort for the many people we expect will be in need.”

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

“We are worried that this storm could be as dangerous and catastrophic as Hurricane Katrina and are preparing as such,” said Major Taylor. “At this point in the storm season, this will be a serious financial challenge, because we have been heavily taxed by Dolly, Fay, Gustav, Hanna and now Ike.”

Monetary donations are needed to meet survivors’ most immediate needs. A $100 donation will feed a family of four for two days and will provide two cases of drinking water and one household cleanup kit (containing brooms, mops, buckets and cleaning supplies). The Salvation Army currently is not accepting donations of clothing and furniture for storm victims; however, please continue supporting your local Salvation Army thrift store and the much needed programs your in-kind gifts support.

We are currently accepting monetary donations only:
Mail
The Salvation Army
Texas 2008 Hurricane Relief Fund
PO Box 36627
Dallas, TX 75235

Online
www.salvationarmytexas.org

Telephone
1-800-SAL-ARMY