The Salvation Army continues to provide widespread support in multiple states impacted by Hurricane Helene, while Florida responds to the aftereffects of Hurricane Milton. Lt. Paul Chisholm from The Salvation Army of Paris has been deployed to support the ongoing relief efforts.
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm, taking the lives of more than 200 individuals and leaving a trail of destruction across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. One of the largest hurricanes ever recorded, Helene had a diameter of some 600 miles wide, severely impacting multiple states. The Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) team of The Salvation Army is coordinating a multi-state response to the unique needs of each community impacted, and currently has 68 disaster response units, and hundreds of disaster-trained personnel serving in the hardest-hit areas across six states.
Lt. Paul Chisholm received orders earlier this week to deploy as part of The Salvation Army’s massive response effort. “I receive the call to travel and serve in Asheville, North Carolina with The Salvation Army’s disaster team already working around the clock to help those impacted by Hurricane Helene. Having been trained and involved in disaster service in the past, I know the days are going to be long and tiring, but we will make an enormous difference in the lives of those experiencing crisis right now,” said Lt. Chisholm. “The Salvation Army focuses on providing meals and hydration from our mobile kitchens, along with emotional and spiritual care after a disaster. Handing a storm survivor their first hot meal in days and letting them know that God loves them can be the encouragement and sustenance they need ahead of the many challenges they are facing. We are the hands of Jesus in that moment, and I am privileged to serve.”