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Salvation Army disaster relief personnel and volunteers are currently traveling to Nassau and Freeport to assist the existing teams in those locations as they continue to serve those impacted by Hurricane Dorian.
The Salvation Army Bahamas hurricane response team was activated before Hurricane Dorian arrived and has been actively involved in the response and relief efforts since the moment the “all clear” announcement was made.
They are partnering with the National EMergency Management Agency (NEMA) and are one of only two charitable organizations recommended by the government of the Bahamas for the general public to contribute toward.
The immediate response has included distribution of essentials: food, water, clothing, personal hygiene supplies, and shelter. The initial response focused on the islands of Grand Bahama and Abaco. However, due to the large evacuation of people from Abaco, the response now includes sheltering and supporting evacuees in Nassau.
In addition to working with NEMA, The Salvation Army is partnering with the government manager of relief efforts for Abaco, Jack Thompson. He will assist The Salvation Army in the development of a long-term plan for relief and rebuilding.
To manage the relief efforts, The Salvation Army is implementing an Incident Command Center in Nassau with a secondary Command Center in Freeport. Due to the extensive damage in Abaco, the plan is to place a containerized office in Abaco. An international specialist has been identified to assess and develop the rebuilding program in Abaco.
The Salvation Army has agreed to coordinate and manage the response for Rotary International through its Incident Command Center and is also partnering with Norwegian Cruise lines. To date, the cruise line has provided approximately $750,000 worth of supplies and support services.
The disaster team has also determined that most of the persons impacted have post-traumatic stress concerns. As such, special emotional and spiritual care teams are being deployed to support the evacuees in Nassau and those who remain on the impacted islands.
The Salvation Army has had a strong presence in the Bahamas, with over 90 years in Nassau and over 30 years in Freeport, and will be involved not only in the immediate response but also in the long-term rebuilding efforts.
To support relief efforts, visit helpsalvationarmy.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY.
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