The Salvation Army on the Frontlines of Disaster Response in the Bahamas
As Hurricane Dorian pummeled the Bahamas over Labor Day weekend, Divisional Commanders Clarence and Karen Ingram were finalizing logistics and confirming supplies from their Nassau office.
“We are ready to provide assistance as soon as we can assess the need,” Major Clarence Ingram said in a September 3 article in the “New Frontier Chronicle.” He was also interviewed on Bahamas National Television on the evening of Sunday, September 1, to outline The Salvation Army’s disaster response plan.
It’s estimated that it may take most of this week for the waters to recede enough that cleanup efforts can begin. The Category 5 hurricane, which stalled over the Bahamas for three full days, destroyed an estimated 13,000 homes, closed airports, swamped hospitals and severely impacted communications and power grids. Grand Bahama Island and nearby Abaco Island received more than 30 inches of rain and a storm surge as high as 23 feet.
The Salvation Army Central Territory is currently on standby for disaster assistance.
The Army is NOT deploying spontaneous volunteers to the Bahamas or accepting small offers of in-kind goods.
The best way to help those impacted by the disaster is to make a monetary donation online at helpsalvationarmy.org or by phone at 1-800-SAL-ARMY.