• Dulcinea Kimrey

Salvation Army in Florida prepared to deploy resources to the Panhandle

Tampa (September 1, 2016) –  While Tropical Storm Hermine swirls through the Gulf of Mexico, Salvation Army staff and volunteers are in The Salvation Army Army's 50,000 square feet state Emergency Disaster Warehouse preparing  supplies, mobile feeding and shower units to be deployed locally and throughout the state as needed.

Currently 13 Salvation Army canteens across Florida are ready and on standby. Those canteens (or kitchens on wheels) are from St. Augustine, Jacksonville, Ocala, Tallahassee, Panama City, Citrus County, Orlando, Gainesville, Cocoa Beach, Sanford, Fort Walton Beach, Pensacola and Tampa. These specialized mobile kitchens can feed up to 1,500 meals a day.  Along with the canteens, Salvation Army teams from Miami to Pensacola are also on standby ready to assist.

“Our first response is our mobile kitchens,” said Kevin Smith, Emergency Disaster Services director for The Salvation Army of Florida. “Our goal is to bring a little comfort in times of crisis and to give people hope for the long road to recovery.”

The Salvation Army of Florida is planning to send an incident command team to the Florida panhandle to help provide assistance and work with local and state officials. Currently the team is stationed at its disaster warehouse in Tampa, 930 E. 139th Ave.

In the Tampa Bay Salvation Army area has personnel in at respective Emergency Operation Centers (EOC) monitoring the storm and needed response. The Salvation Army’s trained, dedicated staff and volunteers are prepared to serve food and drinks and provide emotional and spiritual care in the immediate if called upon.

Earlier this summer The Salvation Army responded to flooded communities in Upper Pinellas County following Tropical Storm Colin providing meals. 

In the wake of the tragic shootings at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, a Salvation Army team from Tampa Bay was called to support the Army’s response efforts to first responders.

For more information on The Salvation Army’s preparations to Tropical Storm Hermine please visit www.disaster.salvationarmyusa.org or www.salvationarmyflorida.org. To donate: Please call 1-800-Sal-Army, visit www.salvationarmyusa.org, text “storm” to 51555 or contact your local Salvation Army.