The Salvation Army Prepares To Serve as 2021 Hurricane Season Begins

Trained disaster experts brace for Tropical Storm Elsa

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Jul 07, 2021, 13:48 ET

ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Salvation Army is prepared to help survivors and first responders in vulnerable areas of the United States as the 2021 hurricane season becomes increasingly active. At this moment in Florida and other states along the East Coast, Tropical Storm Elsa threatens to bring localized flooding, high winds, and storm surge.

"After a devastating hurricane season in 2020, we are readying our personnel and resources for another," said Jeff Jellets, Emergency Disaster Services director for The Salvation Army's Southern Territory. "In many cases, The Salvation Army is still on the ground serving people affected by past storms, and we will continue to lend a hand for however long our services are needed after Elsa makes landfall."

Disaster Preparedness Overview (July 7) — 10 a.m. EDT

The Salvation Army's Southern Territory is prepared for the most extreme effects of Tropical Storm Elsa:

The Salvation Army disaster personnel are collaborating with federal, state, and local emergency management agencies and partners to monitor the system and prepare for service delivery after landfall.
The Salvation Army has more than 300 disaster services vehicles strategically positioned across the United States, including mobile kitchens, rapid response food delivery vehicles, shower trailers, laundry trailers, Polaris® all-terrain UTVs, and mobile command posts.
The Salvation Army has pre-positioned critical relief supplies such as water, shelf-stable meals, MREs, cleanup kits, and others at disaster relief warehouses in Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and Texas.

With more than 7,600 centers of operation and a presence in nearly every ZIP code, The Salvation Army is uniquely positioned to support survivors of widescale disasters. Tropical Storm Elsa comes in the midst of a deadly heatwave and widespread wildfires in the western United States. To help individuals and families who are vulnerable to the heatwave, The Salvation Army has opened cooling centers offering water, air conditioning, and shade. They are also conducting welfare checks on elderly and other vulnerable individuals.

For more information on The Salvation Army's response to these disaster events, visit salvationarmyusa.org or disaster.salvationarmyusa.org.

A digital media kit with B-roll, photography and other visual assets can be found here.

To make a financial gift to support ongoing disaster relief efforts:

Donate online: helpsalvationarmy.org
Donate by phone: 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769)

About The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army annually helps 30 million Americans overcome poverty, addiction and economic hardships through a range of social services. By providing food for the hungry, emergency relief for disaster survivors, rehabilitation for those suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, and clothing and shelter for people in need, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at 7,600 centers of operation around the country. During times of disaster, 100 percent of designated donations to The Salvation Army are used for immediate response and long-term efforts. In the first-ever listing of "America's Favorite Charities" by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, The Salvation Army ranked as the country's largest privately funded, direct-service nonprofit. For more information, visit SalvationArmyUSA.org. Follow us on Twitter @SalvationArmyUS and #DoingTheMostGood.

SOURCE The Salvation Army