The Salvation Army Deploys Disaster Response Team to Texas Panhandle after Tornado
Dallas, Texas (June 18, 2023) – The Salvation Army has deployed Emergency Disaster Services staff to Perryton, TX, after a powerful tornado stuck the Texas Panhandle city on Thursday afternoon.
After several days of severe weather in the area, a large and destructive tornado touched down around 5 PM on Thursday afternoon and was estimated to be on the ground for approximately eight miles. Three people are confirmed dead and dozens more injured. More than 30 homes have been destroyed and much of the downtown area, including the city hall, has sustained significant damage.
Salvation Army staff from Dallas, Wichita Falls, and Amarillo are deploying to Perryton. They will work with local Service Unit volunteers to provide practical support and continue damage assessment in the area, located 115 miles NE of Amarillo, close to the Oklahoma border.
“The mobile kitchen and a team from Wichita Falls, led by Major Joe Burton, will be going to Perryton to provide practical support to first responders and residents,” said Alvin Migues, Emergency Disaster Services Director for The Salvation Army in Texas. “We are working closely with local emergency managers and city officials as damage and needs assessment continues in the area and plan to begin serving meals from the mobile kitchen once it is safe to do so.”
Salvation Army Service Unit volunteers will also provide essential support for any response effort. With close to 150 active Service Units all across Texas, these committed volunteers prove invaluable support throughout the year, and particularly during times of disaster response. Local volunteers are well connected in their local communities and make it possible for The Salvation Army to deliver services in every zip code in the state.
“The tornado caused major destruction in the city, and in some way has impacted everyone in the community,” said Migues. “We’re also sending trained Salvation Army Emotional and Spiritual Care staff to Perryton. They will be there to listen, support, encourage and pray with storm survivors. This is an important part of The Salvation Army’s ministry.”
For more information on The Salvation Army’s current disaster response efforts or to make a donation, go to www.disaster.salvationarmyusa.org.
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About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for more than 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through a broad array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar The Salvation Army spends is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.