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Recent gift enables Southern California Division to do the most good for more people
by Robert Brennan –
This summer, before local media and invited guests, Lt. Colonel Paul Bollwahn, Southern California divisional commander, officially took possession of a disaster response unit, courtesy of the FedEx Corporation.
“Disaster response units are the backbone of our disaster response capability,” said Bollwahn. “In the event of a disaster, these units allow 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. Disaster response units (DRU), like those donated by FedEx, help ease the unbearable devastation experienced by so many during times of disaster.”
Capable of serving up to 700 hot meals or 5,000 cold meals a day, the vehicle is equipped with a mobile kitchen and will be used not only for extraordinary events such as wildfires, earthquakes, and other forms to disaster relief, but will be utilized on a regular basis to “do the most good” by providing meals to clients in the MacArthur Park area of Los Angeles.
The Salvation Army is deeply grateful to the FedEx Corporation for its ongoing commitment to public service which is manifested in the donation of this vehicle and many others like it not only in Southern California, but throughout the United States. In addition to the donation of the vehicles and support materials, FedEx has also made a grant to The Salvation Army World Services Organization (SAWSO) for the training of emergency response personnel worldwide.