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The Salvation Army sends crews to Haiti
Resources and manpower from Florida sent to Haiti in response to deadly earthquake
Lutz, Fla. (Jan. 13, 2010) - Salvation Army personnel from Florida are traveling along with other members of a delegation to Haiti today (Jan. 13) to help aid residents in the wake of the deadly 7.0 earthquake that hit Tuesday afternoon.
Three Salvation Army officers (pastors) from South Florida and one Salvation Army employee from Tampa are expected to fly out of Fort Lauderdale International Airport this afternoon, with arrival into a small regional airport near Port-au-Prince later this afternoon or tonight.
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Salvation Army personnel are carrying extra generators, satellite phones and other supplies for the trip.
This deployment is expected to one of several out of Florida to Haiti, said Lt. Col. Vern Jewett, the divisional commander of The Salvation Army in Florida. Jewett said another team from the southern territory is expected to go into Haiti within the next few days, after the initial response from the disaster team.
The Salvation Army has been stationed in Haiti since 1950 and operates a children's home, primary and secondary schools and a hospital.
All Salvation Army staff in Haiti are accounted for, but property has been badly damaged.
"The human tragedy and the humanitarian crisis is overwhelming," Jewett said. "We know that there are many people who have lost their lives and only in the next few days will it reveal the extent of the tragedy."
In the short-term aftermath of the storm, Salvation Army officers and staff will focus primarily on the immediate needs of disaster survivors and first-responders, providing food, hydration and shelter for impacted individuals and families.
The Salvation Army asks people who want to help those affected by the earthquake in Haiti to visit www.salvationarmyusa.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY. Monetary donations are needed to meet survivors' most immediate needs.
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