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Released 29 February 2012
Crossville,
Tennessee – Several tornadoes
have been confirmed as severe storms moved across the region killing at least
10 people. The Salvation Army, serving year-round in every zip code in the
county, has activated Emergency Disaster Services teams to assist with the
response.
One such deployment is
in Cumberland County, Tennessee. Tracking the path of the
storm throughout the day, local Salvation Army personnel
was prepared by the time the storm hit. “We
had a canteen and trained crew of volunteers in place at the touchdown sight in
the community of Rinnie within an hour receiving the request from the
EOC,”
said Joe Hughes, Divisional Disaster Services Coordinator for the Kentucky and
Tennessee
Division.
“It’s a great crew of
committed volunteers who take their responsibilities very seriously,”
said Dina
Meyers, who coordinates community efforts in Cumberland County
for The Salvation Army. “We’ve built strong relationships with
local government
agencies and community partners so we are prepared and equipped to respond to
the needs of the community”, Meyers stated.
The Salvation Army is
on site in Cumberland
County to provide meals,
snacks, coffee and water to storm victims, emergency responders and volunteers
still
involved in the search and rescue efforts. Local
Subway stores have contributed food to the response effort, a
great example of community partnership.
The Salvation Army is
working in partnership with state and local authorities to determine the needs
and plan an appropriate response. Hughes
stated, “We plan to serve throughout the night and into
tomorrow. After that we will reassess the needs and
respond
appropriately.”
“The wide-spread zone
of impact for these storms makes appropriate response a challenge, but it is one
that we are up to meeting,” Hughes said.
Mobile Feeding
Kitchens, or Canteens, from Louisville, Chattanooga, Knoxville and Nashville
have been placed on alert and additional
response personnel are standing by in Richmond
& Bardstown,
Kentucky.
For the latest news
about Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services or to make a donation in the
support of those impacted by this disaster, please visit: www.disaster.SalvationArmyUSA.o
rg or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769).
You may also help The Salvation Army
now by texting “SAnow”
80888 to make a $10.00 contribution to the relief effort. The donation will appear on your next phone
bill.
About the
Salvation
Army: The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the
universal Christian church, has been supporting those in need in His name
without discrimination since 1865. 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. About 82
cents of every dollar raised is used to support those services
in nearly 5,000 communities nationwide. For more
information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org