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The Salvation Army is providing mass feeding and hydration support to several communities in North and South Carolina.
Sustained rainfall in widespread areas of South Carolina has resulted in persistent flooding, prompting a statewide response from The Salvation Army. Across the state, Salvation Army personnel are coordinating with state and local emergency management officials to serve the community in need.
“The Salvation Army in South Carolina is responding to immediate needs in their local communities and ready to respond as needed,” said Mike Patterson, Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) director for The Salvation Army of North and South Carolina. “As the flood waters continue to rise, we know our response will increase and is expected to continue for the foreseeable future.
President Barack Obama signed a disaster declaration on Monday allowing aid for eight counties in South Carolina, as flooding has caused at least nine dams to breach or fail, officials said.
Richard Baldwin, a 32-year fire department veteran, described the conditions caused by the flooding.
“Last night the hospital had no water pressure,” he said. “We got the call to bring our tanks over and start pumping water or they would have to evacuate 700 people. We were there in ten minutes. Last night we pumped 100,000 gallons of water—today 26,000 gallons of water and we will keep pumping water until we don’t need to anymore. We may get off work tonight—it may be tomorrow. We will just see.
The Salvation Army is providing mass feeding and hydration support to several communities in North and South Carolina:
- The Salvation Army of the Midlands, in collaboration with other local organizations and agencies, provided mass feeding and hydration support at an Inclement Weather Center shelter in Columbia. In addition, Salvation Army Liaison Officers are in place at the Lexington County EOC and the Richland County EOC.
- The Salvation Army in Orangeburg, S.C., is providing support with mass feeding and hydration to the Orangeburg County emergency operations center (EOC).
- The Sumter Salvation Army is providing support with mass feeding and hydration to the Sumter County EOC, first responders as well as at a shelter in Manning (Clarendon County).
- The Salvation Army of Fayetteville provided meals in coordination with the American Red Cross at a shelter in Fayetteville.
- The Salvation Army of New Bern, N.C., is providing lunch today at a shelter in Pamlico County.
- The Salvation Army of Conway provided mass feeding and hydration support to first responders in Marion County on Sunday.
- In coordination with the American Red Cross, Salvation Army of Georgetown, S.C., is providing mass feeding and hydration support at a shelter established at the Beck Recreation Center.
- Salvation Army Greenville personnel is operating a weather emergency shelter at the Rutherford Street Outpost.
- The Salvation Army in Anderson, S.C., is keeping its Stringer Emergency Lodge open as needed for those impacted by the storms.
“The Salvation Army wants to extend our hospitality and offer a dry and warm place for any individual experiencing homelessness during the wet weather,” said Major Kent Davis, area commander. “Please encourage anyone you may know who is temporarily homeless or perhaps living in their car to seek shelter.”
Contributions can be made by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY, 864-235-4803, mailing to P. O. Box 1237, Greenville, SC 29602 or making an online donation at salvationarmygreenville.org.
