Christian Relief Groups Move In Right Behind Katrina
by Allie Martin and Jody Brown
August 30, 2005
(AgapePress) - Emergency disaster services teams from The Salvation Army and other relief agencies are preparing to meet the needs of storm victims and relief workers in those areas hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina. Early reports on Katrina are saying it could be one of the most damaging storms in U.S. history, with insurance costs estimated in the $25 billion range. The massive storm came ashore just east of New Orleans on Monday morning with winds as high as 140 mph, veering in a north-northeast direction through Mississippi into Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio. The predicted storm path shows Katrina continuing across western Pennsylvania, New York, and Vermont before reaching eastern Canada on Thursday. The storm left death, destruction, and flooding in its wake; hardest hit appear to be New Orleans and southern Mississippi where more than 80 deaths have been reported -- 50 in one county alone.
Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco says she's "praying for the dead, the injured and the homeless" from Hurricane Katrina as rescue and relief efforts continue. And President Bush, at a speech in California on Monday, thanked Americans for praying for those who got caught in the wind and floods, and pledged that federal help is on the way.
Blanco said now is a time for both prayer and action. Urging Louisiana residents to help their neighbors in need, she said, "I thank God that he made us a strong and caring people." The Salvation Army and the Southern Baptists are among church groups moving in to provide food for victims and relief workers.
Salvation Army teams from Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi are responding to the areas damaged by the storm that approached the Gulf Coast as a Category 5 hurricane, but dropped to a Category 4 just before landfall. The Army has more than 70 mobile kitchens -- called "canteens" -- which will feed thousands of people who are expected to be without power for days and possibly even weeks. Each canteen is capable of preparing 5,000 meals daily. Also available are two fully equipped Salvation Army mobile kitchens that can each serve 20,000 meals a day.
Major Dalton Cunningham is helping to coordinate relief efforts from the Jackson, Mississippi, office. "It is a massive undertaking," he admits, "and thank goodness the Salvation Army has a wonderful network throughout the entire nation of people who are ready to respond in an instant to disaster services."
Cunningham says partner agencies such as Operation Blessing and the Southern Baptist Men's Association are assisting with the feeding efforts. Long-term aid, he says, will also be available after the primary, initial response of providing food and water.
"Then we will set up more recovery response as we move into that -- helping with vouchers that will help people get immediate supplies if they need toiletries, if they need cleaning supplies," he explains. "We'll get them clothing, and then we'll move into also helping them get building supplies or other things they would need for house repair."
Relief efforts are expected to continue for several months. World Relief has announced it plans to assist in the clean-up and rebuilding efforts by equipping churches in the affected areas in much the same way it responded to the southeast Asia tsunami eight months ago. That agency predicts a "massive amount of clean up" will be necessary in the coming weeks, requiring volunteers to work with chainsaws, various tools, and containers to haul away debris.
