FedEx and The Salvation Army stand ready to weather 2007 hurricane season
FedEx Corp. made a “just in time” delivery to The Salvation Army today in advance of the 2007 hurricane season.
The charitable donation included the largest Mobile Feeding Unit in The Salvation Army’s fleet of mobile canteen vehicles plus four others in cities across the country. In addition to the canteen units and emergency supplies, FedEx contributed a grant to train Salvation Army emergency response personnel in countries around the world.
“FedEx is known for making critical deliveries where and when it counts,” said Rose Flenorl, manager, Social Responsibility, FedEx Services. “With our industry-leading expertise in logistics, we know what it takes to help organizations like The Salvation Army deliver to those in need, across the country and around the globe.”
The five mobile canteens will be based in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami and New York. Each vehicle is co-branded with the FedEx and Salvation Army logos and is equipped with the latest equipment and technology to assist disaster response personnel in reacting to emergencies that could include hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, fires or other scenarios.
The canteens can feed between 1,000 and 2,500 people per day and are outfitted with new GPS tracking devices that let commanders know their exact location at any given time. As part of the gift, FedEx also contributed 1,800 disaster clean-up kits that include mops, brooms, sponges, gloves and cleaning solution.
“Mobile canteens are the backbone of The Salvation Army’s disaster response capability,” said Major George Hood, national community relations secretary, The Salvation Army. “During Hurricane Katrina and countless other disasters, these units allowed our emergency response personnel to be among the first to reach the site of devastation and immediately begin providing material, physical and emotional comfort for both survivors and first responders. Mobile Feeding Units, like those donated by FedEx, absolutely, positively help ease the unbearable devastation experienced by so many during times of disaster,” he said.
With a busy hurricane season predicted for south Florida in 2007, the Miami-based canteen will be particularly critical. More than twice the size of the other vehicles in use, this mobile canteen is now the largest in the Salvation Army’s fleet. It measures 30 feet by 8 feet and can carry a payload of 7,000 pounds. It requires three or four emergency responders to operate and is equipped with two convection ovens and a six-burner stove, two microwave ovens, a 20-kilowatt generator and a 36-inch grill top, among other accessories. The Miami disaster relief unit can feed more than 2,500 persons per day—60 percent more than a typical unit.
“The larger size and enhanced capabilities of this dedicated vehicle are directly related to the significant need that often arises in this region following the devastation of a hurricane,” said Major Hood.
In addition to the Mobile Feeding Units and support materials, FedEx also made a grant to The Salvation Army World Services Organization (SAWSO) for the training of emergency response personnel worldwide. SAWSO is the international arm of The Salvation Army in the United States and its Prepare to Respond to Emergencies—Planning And Readiness Education (PREPARE) curriculum, designed to standardize disaster training for Salvation Army units and their communities outside the United States and Canada. The training program will increase in-country capacity to respond to emergencies and disasters. Started by a grant from Lily Endowment, Inc. in 2003, PREPARE has already equipped more than 150 responders in 25 countries with critical knowledge and skills to react to all kinds of emergency scenarios.
About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for 126 years in the United States.
Over 31 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 83 cents of every dollar raised is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.
