• Cynthia (Cindy) Fuller

Central Oklahoma Area Command Responding to Large Wildfire in Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (August 31, 2011 – 11:00 PM) – The Salvation Army Central Oklahoma Area Command is responding to a large, 1,500+ acre wildfire affecting northeast Oklahoma County and its surrounding communities and neighborhoods.

The Salvation Army Canteen, a mobile kitchen, was deployed to the Incident Command located at NE 63rd and Sooner Road.  The wildfire is not yet fully contained.  Winds are near 20 mph from the South.  Oklahoma County remains under a Burn Ban due to the extreme draught.   

Feed The Children has partnered with The Salvation Army for the feeding effort and will be supplying additional food items for preparation by the Army.   The canteen served over 200 meals to first responders at lunch.   They will also serve dinner, drinks and snacks to firefighters, police, EMSA and others by the blaze.  The Salvation Army will stay on site for as long as they are needed.

Additional information will be provided as it is available.

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About The Salvation Army:  The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar spent is used to carry out those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.

Contact:  Heide Brandes, Central Oklahoma Area Command Public Information Officer  (405) 623-0665, heide_brandes@uss.salvationarmy.org