News Articles
21
NOV
Salvation Army of Decatur Assists Emergency Workers During Suspected Bomb Threat
Decatur, AL (November 21, 2013) – The Salvation Army of Decatur arrived to feed emergency management workers who responded to a suspected bomb threat Thursday.
The event resulted in the evacuation of 1,200 students after a suspicious device was found attached to a rail car carrying hazardous material at a local manufacturing plant.
Captain David Sams said Salvation Army workers were on the ground during the emergency helping first responders, including the Decatur firefighters and the Huntsville bomb squad.
“We were immediately in contact with emergency management, and we are here serving hot dogs and food to first responders,” Sams said. “We’ve been in Decatur 100 years, and we want to be there when people need us to help.”
The threat was over shortly around 1 p.m. when officials discovered that the object attached to the train car at the Daiken American plant was not a bomb. It was a package the size of a large phone book containing 1-2 kilos of marijuana.
“A lot of people would like to help during emergencies, but can’t,” said Sams. “Their financial support gives us the capability. We can do it for them. We can go out there and help.”
Students from more than 11 schools were evacuated or released early after officials learned there could be a potential threat in the 25-mile radius.
Salvation Army units were released after officials realized there was no bomb.
