The Salvation Army has launched a massive emergency response effort to help flood victims and first responders.
Emergency response units are on the ground in communities across the province, providing food, hydration, shelter, clothing, and blankets to first responders, evacuees, and flood victims.
“We have been on the ground since day one in the hardest hit communities,” said Mike Leland, spokesperson for The Salvation Army in B.C.
“We have several of our trained emergency-response units actively supporting the impacted communities. Our feeding trucks are there, we have been airlifting in meals, and we have set up evacuation centres in communities to receive victims of the floods.”
The agency has five emergency-response vehicles in the field and evacuation centres open, and is on the front lines in Kelowna, Kamloops, Chilliwack, and Abbotsford.
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Locations in Maple Ridge and Abbotsford have been working around the clock to supply communities with food, hydration, and blankets.
Leland said, to date, the Salvation Army has provided close to 10,000 meals to those being impacted, as well as those first responders who are on the ground.
They also mobilized two more emergency disaster vehicles on standby in case the weather begins to change over the next several days.
“Several of our locations outside of the impacted areas mobilized their units and their communities immediately to assist in the effort,” Leland said. “This is a tragedy unfolding and we are here for those people and communities day and night and we will be here to end, and see this through into the recovery phase. This is what we do, but we don’t do it alone.”
The Salvation Army has also launched an Emergency Flood Relief Appeal at salvationarmy.ca/BCFlood or by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY.
“We need people to help,” Leland said. “This is going to take everyone coming together, not only to assist right now, but to help these communities recover in the weeks and months ahead. Every dollar donated will go directly towards helping these communities today with essential services and then into the aftermath of these floods to help them recover.”
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