• Lora Marini Baker

Salvation Army Provides Assistance At Roaring Lion Wildfire In Montana

HAMILTON, MT – The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services team has been working in Ravalli County, MT, and the nearby areas devastated by the Roaring Lion wildfire. As of Tuesday morning, the fire had spread to 8,270 acres, with 50% percent contained.  Captain Rob Lawler is leading the relief effort on behalf of The Salvation Army. “The county leadership asked us to help, and we’ve been here since Thursday. We will help however we can, for as long as we’re needed,” said Captain Lawler, a trained emergency disaster responder.

Feeding the Community, Volunteers

The Salvation Army is serving meals to displaced families and volunteers. The canteen (mobile feeding unit), located at 1285 N. 1st Street, is serving two meals daily, plus snacks and beverages, as well as hygiene kits. All food and personal items are free to anyone who needs them.

Vouchers for Families Impacted by the Fires

The Salvation Army is providing vouchers to families impacted by the wildfires for gasoline, hotels, and other needs. For information, call 406-210-1453.

Donations of Tangible Items

At the request of the county, The Salvation Army is sorting, organizing, and planning distribution of the many tangible items that have been donated to date. At this time, donations of additional tangible items are being discouraged, due to storage and space requirements. Donors who have items for future donation should call 406-210-1453.

“There has been a generous outpouring of items from the general public,” said Captain Lawler. “But, at this time, storage of these items is a challenge. The families who need these donations aren’t ready for them yet – they’ll need these items after they find stable, long-term housing.”

How to Help

The most critical need right now is for monetary donations. The best way to help during any disaster, large or small, is often to make a financial contribution. Cash donations allow disaster responders to immediately meet the specific needs of disaster survivors without incurring many of the costs associated with sorting, packing, transporting and distributing donated goods. Salvation Army disaster services are funded entirely by donors, and The Salvation Army uses 100% of all disaster donations in support of disaster relief operations.

There are three ways to contribute to The Salvation Army relief and restoration efforts for the Roaring Lion wildfire:

1.    By phone: 1-800-SAL-ARMY – designate gift for ‘Montana Wildfires’

2.    On-line at: SalvationArmyMontanaWildfires.net – designate gift for ‘Montana Wildfires’

3.    By mail: Send a check, marked ‘Montana Wildfires’ to The Salvation Army, Northwest Divisional Headquarters, 111 Queen Anne Avenue N #300, Seattle, WA, 98109