27 May 2015

A widespread severe weather emergency remains in effect for most of the Lone Star state with more rain and possible tornadoes forecast through the end of this week.

Below is a list of significant activities today. Continued credit to the Texas Division -- officers, volunteers, and EDS and public relations staff who have done a remarkable job responding to an event that has covered much of the division:

The Salvation Army Wichita Falls Corps Canteen provided 585 meals / 27 volunteer hours on 5/25/15 at the Family Assistance Center (resource center) at Loop 11 and 5th in Wichita Falls.

The Salvation Army Houston Area Command (Conroe Corps Canteen) assisted at the American Red Cross Shelter (Lone Star Community Center, 2500 Lone Star Parkway, Montgomery, TX 77356) by providing 65 meals / 100 beverages / 17 volunteer hours on 5/25/15. Food service will no longer be needed since the shelter was closed.

The Salvation Army Texas Division delivered 220 cleanup kits to the San Marcos area for distribution along with 120 food boxes and 1200 hygiene kits.

The Salvation Army Houston Area Command is also providing relocation assistance to 83 families following the F-1 tornado touch down at the Rockport Apartments in SW Houston. Salvation Army is also delivering 300 food boxes for distribution to these families.

The Salvation Army Austin Area Command (Williamson County Canteen), in coordination with The Salvation Army Service Extension Region 3, assisted at the American Red Cross Shelter (San Marcos Activity Center, 501 E. Hopkins St.); as well as, the neighboring community by providing meals and beverages on 5/25/15.

The Salvation Army Service Extension Region 3 is assessing the situation in Wimberley, Gillespie County, Blanco County, and Lampasas County on 5/25/15 – 5/26/15 following the severe flooding and tornadoes in those areas to determine a needs assessment for the communities.

The Salvation Army Service Extension Region 1 has been requested by the Walker County OEM to assist evacuated families near the Trinity River with hotel rooms; as well as, purchasing insect repellent for responders and survivors in the area. Hotel rooms for three families have been provided from 5/24/15 – 5/27/15. Insect repellent was also requested by the Walker County OEM and will be provided.

The Salvation Army Texas Division delivered 4 pallets of water at the request of the City of Blanco on 5/25/15.

The Salvation Army Tyler Corps is continuing to provide assistance in Van Zandt and Smith counties following the severe weather events. An additional tractor-trailer load of food boxes and hygiene kits from Midwest Food Bank is being scheduled for delivery to Texas. Also coordinating with the NSC Division to ship additional clean-up kits from Ridgeland, SC to Texas this week.

Personnel from THQ EDS are headed to Texas to support the TEX EDS Director; a PIO will be deployed tomorrow morning from NHQ to Houston to support operations there.

Donations for this operation remain a critical need. Donor information is here: donate.salvationarmyusa.org/texas/texas-dhq/disaster/texas-flood-tornado-relief
Current operational statistics may be found here disaster.salvationarmyusa.org/aboutus/?fastfacts

The Arkansas / Oklahoma is also experiencing flooding concerns -- though not on the scale of Texas. Clean-up kits having been distributed in the Tulsa area, and four pallets of water were distributed in Muskogee County, after flood waters contaminated the local water system. Additionally, AOK Division is partnering with the Baptist General Convention to distribute Salvation Army clean-up kits at Flood Clean-Up Training classes the Baptists are hosting around Oklahoma.