Tropical storm Hermine blew through south and central Texas yesterday leaving thousands of homes without power and dropping record rainfall on several cities. Hermine was downgraded to a tropical depression Tuesday night and continues to move north.

Five Salvation Army mobile feeding units (canteens) across Texas were placed on standby in San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Harlingen, McAllen, and Kerrville and are prepped to provide emergency assistance.

The Salvation Army of Texas reports their canteen in Corpus Christi has been called in to action to provide clean up kits for areas affected by excessive flooding and food for first responders and storm victims.

The Salvation Army’s canteens can be deployed within minutes and can usually serve first responders and storm victims steadily for a 24-hour period before restocking.

The mobile feeding units, staff, and volunteers will remain on call for at least three days, as Salvation Army disaster response personnel monitor Hermine’s path and the effects on each community it moves through.  A satellite communications van and other emergency disaster response staff and volunteers are also on call.

To stay updated on The Salvation Army’s Hermine response, follow our Emergency Disaster Services team on Twitter @SalArmyEDS.

Infrared Image of Hurricane Earl, taken by The Weather Channel

Hurricane Earl continues its path towards the US eastern coast with winds reaching 125mph as of this morning, making the storm a Category 3. It’s expected to reach the coast of North Carolina Thursday evening or Friday morning, casting a dark cloud over Labor Day holiday plans.

All Salvation Army units have been notified of the potential impacts from Hurricane Earl.  Personnel in coastal North Carolina and the Eastern Shore of Maryland are working with county and state emergency management officials as well as reviewing local response plans and procedures in case their assistance is needed.

While you may are making plans for the holiday weekend, don’t forget to stay alert. We encourage everyone who may be in Earl’s path to prepare an emergency supply kit, make an evacuation plan and stay on top of all storm warnings. For help developing a preparedness plan, coastal residents can visit www.readync.org and www.mema.state.md.us.

Anyone who wants to help those affected by Hurricane Earl can visit www.salvationarmyusa.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY. Monetary donations will be used to meet immediate needs. We are currently not accepting donations of clothing and furniture for storm victims; however, please continue supporting your local Salvation Army thrift store and the much needed programs your in-kind gifts support.

Stay tune to The Salvation Army’s Hurricane Earl updates as they become available through our Facebook and Twitter pages.

The Salvation Army continues to respond to the dire situation in Pakistan as communities recover from the destructive floods. Our teams are assessing the damage and working with the government and locals to learn how we can be of greatest support.

A donkey cart plods through flooded streets.

Captain Washington Daniel, The Salvation Army’s District Commander for Islamabad, went to Peshawar to assess the situation and reported:

“ Most houses are damaged badly or have fallen down completely due to the flood water. River water came into many houses, rising to above six feet in some places. People are looking for shelter, going to relatives’ houses or to churches.

People are feeling hopeless. The Government and other non-government agencies (NGOs) have not properly visited them, helped them or prayed with them. They said that people from The Salvation Army are the first to visit and pray with them.

In some areas there is still standing water and people are afraid to go back to see their homes. Their houses and what they owned is mixed with mud. The buildings and houses are cracked and not suitable for living in.”

Salvation Army personnel pray with flood survivors.

Regarding aid efforts, he also said:

“We met with the bishop of Peshawar’s team and they welcomed us, very thankful for The Salvation Army visit and our cooperation.  In this meeting we discussed how we can manage and to start to help these people who have lost so much because of the flood.

They gave us a list of people in different areas in order to avoid duplication in distribution of assistance.  I marked utensils (pots, pans, dishes) quilts, pillows, foam mattresses and gas cylinder burners that The Salvation Army will attempt to provide.  We have identified 3000 families in need of assistance from the list we were given.

Our team also met with MPA Javid Prince and he showed his full support in all matter from government.  For purchasing all goods, I propose we buy from Peshawar to save the transportation expense, because road conditions from Lahore to these areas are not good and for security, safety and for storage where we want to distribute we have no place.”

Salvation Army officers assess flood damage to villages.

The first batch of relief aid to go up to the affected areas – essential goods bought with the initial funding – is being put together and will be sent as soon as it is ready to go.

If you’d like to support The Salvation Army’s relief efforts in Pakistan:

• visit our secure online donation page at  https://secure.salvationarmy.org/.
• or mail a check or money order to:

The Salvation Army World Service Office
International Disaster Relief Fund
PO Box 630728
Baltimore, MD 21263-0728
*Please designate your donation for Pakistan flood relief*

Pacaya Volcano before the eruption

Salvation Army emergency response teams in Guatemala are providing assistance after the country was hit by two major disasters within 10 days.

A state of emergency was declared after the eruption of the Pacaya Volcano – about 15 miles south of the capital, Guatemala City. A television journalist was killed in the eruption and the international airport had to be closed. Some 1,600 people were evacuated from the slopes of the volcano and two to three inches of ash built up on streets in some southern parts of the capital.

Dots mark the path of Tropical Storm Agatha

While the country was struggling to deal with the aftermath of the eruption, Tropical Storm Agatha moved across central America, bringing devastation on a huge scale. Of the 150 people known to have been killed in the region, more than 120 were from Guatemala. These numbers may rise.

Some communities were cut off by floods and mudslides, and the ash clean-up operation was badly affected. At one point a Salvation Army team was stranded after a landslide blocked the roads to a community where it was providing assistance.

Almost 112,000 people were evacuated from their homes across Guatemala and around 30,000 had to seek temporary accommodation in emergency shelters.

The local authorities set up a campaign to provide support and The Salvation Army played its part, delivering coffee and warm meals. Salvation Army officers (church ministers) coordinated the response and other Salvationists worked as volunteers.

The first assistance provided by The Salvation Army was at San Vicente, in response to the volcanic eruption. The number of people seeking help increased because of the storm and support is being given at shelters in Tierra Nueva.

For more information about The Salvation Army visit our national website at www.salvationarmyusa.org. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter.

The 2010 hurricane season begins June 1.

May 23 – May 29 has been designated National Hurricane Preparedness Week in anticipation of the 2010 hurricane season that begins June 1. For now, forecasters predict a more active storm season compared to last year’s generally mild one, but being informed and prepared can help diminish the damaging effects of hurricanes.

For more information on personal preparedness, The Salvation Army recommends visiting www.greathurricaneblowout.org (sponsored by the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes) or www.hurricanesafety.org (sponsored by the National Hurricane Survival Initiative).  Plus, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has a fun page for kids with lots of hurricane background information so that they can be knowledgeable and prepared as well.

And you have probably seen in the news or even been served by The Salvation Army as we provide needed relief following hurricanes and other disasters. In fact, The Salvation Army’s  first major disaster response effort in the United States followed the devastating hurricane that destroyed Galveston, TX in 1900, so we have a long history of disaster relief! The Salvation Army continues to strengthen and enhance its own emergency readiness through training sessions for disaster volunteers, maintaining a fleet of emergency response vehicles, and stocking up on critical supplies, such as clean-up kits, in disaster warehouses.

For more information on disaster training and volunteer opportunities please visit www.disaster.salvationarmyusa.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY.  To stay up to date on Salvation Army disaster activities, follow us on Twitter @SalArmyEDS.

Mike Rodgers, captain of Salvation Army’s Hickory Corps in Mount Airy, North Carolina, had watched the devastation with everyone else.

Unseasonal rains poured on Georgia and Tennessee causing millions of dollars worth of damage, disrupting routines and claiming lives.

The Salvation Army was quick to respond: on the ground within hours of the first floods and still supplying basic needs to those affected.

Then there was the outpouring of support, donations and resources from across the country.

Mike knew he must answer the call.

The Mount Airy News wrote an article about his commitment to serving others and how it landed him hundreds of miles away from home serving directly the people and families displaced and disturbed by the Georgia floods.

Rodgers’ trip was his 11th disaster response tour with the Army and it landed him in Austell, Georgia manning a mobile feeding kitchen.

Often times, the donation of time and man-hours is as critical in responding to an emergency as financial donations.

Even if you aren’t in a place where you can donate money to support the disaster services work of the Army, you can always train and be ready to give of your time and strength to help the Army comfort others in need.

To find out more about The Salvation Army’s disaster response training, contact your local Salvation Army.

Each year, the Army responds to hundreds of emergencies across the globe.  Will you answer the call?

Now through October 1st, shoppers at Kroger Supermarkets can “round up” the balance of their purchases to help those affected by floods in Georgia.

WTOC News in Savannah, Georgia, reported that through “The Round Up” Program customers can give money to benefit the flood victims by “rounding up” their purchases to the nearest dollar. Customers can also make a monetary donation at any Kroger in Georgia to help provide food, water, clothing, cleaning supplies and other necessities.

It is estimated that more than 300,000 families have been affected by the nearly $250 million of weather-related damage that has ravaged north Georgia.  To better assist the Salvation Army in providing aid to those affected by the severe weather and floods, Kroger’s Atlanta Division will also donate $50,000 in gift cards to the organization and will also provide two truckloads of water to those in need.

Remember those affected by the floods as you shop at Kroger and donate your change to do some good in the lives of those recovering from this natural disaster.  You can also donate – no matter how little or much – online on the national Salvation Army website, by phone at 1-800-SAL-ARMY, or by mailing a donation to your local Salvation Army.

The Southern California Division of The Salvation Army reports that it is continuing its disaster response to the Station and Auburn wildfires as firefighters are gaining the upper hand on the deadly blaze.

“The Station Fire is the largest wildfire in the history of Los Angeles County having consumed more than 140,000 acres (218 square miles),” they report.  “To date it has also destroyed 92 houses and other structures worth $14 million and has cost more than $20 million to fight. But favorable weather conditions have helped fire fighters increase containment of the blaze from 5 percent on Monday to more than 22 percent by late Tuesday.”

Since the Army began its efforts last Saturday, more than 1500 meals have been served.  Volunteers and Army staff and Officers continue to provide physical and spiritual nourishment to the growing number of displaced.

Looking ahead though, the Army knows that it will need continued donations in order to fulfill its commitment of long-term support for the many evacuees.

Monetary donations remain the most pressing need, but donations of food, personal items and time are also needed.  The SoCal division is also soliciting new volunteers so that its efforts can be even stronger for future emergency needs.

Truly, the work and mission of the Army means that people from all walks of life can support the Army in whichever way suits them best: apply to be an on-site volunteer; if you’re in the area, drop off goods at one of the emergency shelters; or donate money online directly to the cause.

How will you choose to help the Army ensure a ‘good’ future for these and other disaster survivors?

Even as response efforts continue for those affected by the Station Fire in California, The Salvation Army is now also responding to the 49er Fire in Auburn.

The Salvation Army Del Oro Division reports that a Disaster Response Team is on-scene at The Salvation Army receiving monetary and food donations for the fire victims.  Monetary donations are much needed and can be dropped off at The Salvation Army’s Corps Community Center at 286 Sutter Street in Auburn from 9:00am-4:00pm Monday-Friday, or mailed to the following address: P.O. Box 4088, Auburn, CA 95604.  Or, donate online by logging on to www.tsatoday.org.

“Auburn’s mobile kitchen is on standby ready to mobilize at a moment’s notice,” the statement said.  Mobile kitchens are capable of serving hundreds of meals per day.  On Sunday night alone,  Auburn’s mobile kitchen served over 400 hot meals and 900 drinks to fire evacuees and first responders.

The Salvation Army officers and staff will continue supporting those affected by these deadly wildfires.  In the short-term, they will focus primarily on the immediate needs of disaster survivors and first-responders, but long-term support and resources will hinge heavily on the kindness of others and their donations.

The Salvation Army asks people who want to help those affected by the 49er Fire to visit www.tsatoday.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY. Monetary donations are needed to meet survivors’ most immediate needs.  Donations are used to purchase necessary items that are most needed at that moment in time based on the unique needs of affected individuals and families.  The Auburn Journal has listed other ways you can help, too.

For those of us who can’t be there to do something, we can do this: make donations to help further the response efforts of the Army and help ensure a more dependable future for those affected.

Daniel Bouchard of the Thousand Trails R.V. Community, checked in at Golden Valley High School today as a Station Fire evacuee today with two of his sons. The family enjoyed lunch, compliments of The Salvation Army. (Photo courtesy of SoCal Salvation Army)

KCRA 3 News in Sacramento, Calif., followed Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger as he toured some of the destruction in Auburn, Calif., left in the wake of the northern California wildfires.

On Monday, he expressed sympathy to those who’d lost their homes in the fires.

“It’s painful to see the devastation,” Schwarzenegger told reporters after a visit to the fire area.  “My heart goes out to these people.”

Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency for several counties affected by the wildfire.  As of late Monday evening, The Salvation Army of Southern California had reported that the Station Fire has doubled in size to 85,000 acres and claimed the lives of two firefighters.

On the scene since Saturday, the SoCal Salvation Army is now supporting all 6 of the emergency shelters for fire evacuees throughout the affected region. (Follow our response efforts on the SoCal Salvation Army Twitter feed!)

As the fire rages on, support is flowing in from across the country.  Firemen from other locales are California-bound and Americans the country over are sending their well-wishes to those affected and those responding.

But we can do more.  Monetary donations are the most pressing need.  And tangible donations – food, pet food, clothing, etc. – can help ensure The Army’s ability to offer long-term recovery support to those affected by the wildfires.

Monetary donations can be made directly to the SoCal Army here, via 1-800-SAL-ARMY, or by sending a check to your local Salvation Army with “Southern California Wildfires” in the memo line.

We’re all doing something – praying, hoping – but together we can do The Most Good.