An appeal has been established to help provide disaster relief in the wake of Hurricane Patricia in Mexico. The appeal has been set-up through The Salvation Army World Service Office (SAWSO). To give:
– visit salar.my/HurricanePatricia
– call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769).
– Check donations to Salvation Army World Service Office (designate “Hurricane Patricia”) can be sent to:International Relief Fund
P.O. Box 418558
Boston, MA 02241-8558
For more information, go to:
What is a Hurricane?
A hurricane is a type of tropical cyclone, which is a generic term for a low pressure system that generally forms in the tropics. The cyclone is accompanied by thunderstorms and, in the Northern Hemisphere, a counterclockwise circulation of winds near the earth’s surface.
When are Hurricanes most likely to occur?
Different areas of the world have different times when tropical cyclones are most likely to form. These periods are called Hurricane Seasons:
- Atlantic and Caribbean: June 1 to November 30 with peak season mid-August to late October.
- Central Pacific (Hawaii): June 1 to November 30 with peak season from July to September.
- East Pacific: May 15 to November 30
- Western North Pacific: Tropical cyclones can strike year round
Different Types of Tropical Cyclones
Tropical cyclones are classified as follows:
- Tropical Depression. An organized system of clouds and thunderstorms with a defined surface circulation and maximum sustained winds* of 38 mph or less
- Tropical Storm. An organized system of strong thunderstorms with a defined surface circulation and maximum sustained winds of 39-73 mph (34-63 kt)
- Hurricane. An intense tropical weather system of strong thunderstorms with a well-defined surface circulation and maximum sustained winds of 74 mph (64 kt) or higher
Hurricanes are also categorized according to the strength of their winds using the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. A Category 1 storm has the lowest wind speeds, while a Category 5 hurricane has the strongest. These are relative terms, because lower category storms can sometimes inflict greater damage than higher category storms, depending on where they strike and the particular hazards they bring. In fact, tropical storms can also produce significant damage and loss of life, mainly due to flooding.
When the winds from a tropical cyclone reaches 39 mph (34 kts), the cyclones are given names. Years ago, an international committee developed names for Atlantic cyclones (The History of Naming Hurricanes). In 1979 a six year rotating list of Atlantic storm names was adopted — alternating between male and female hurricane names. Storm names are used to facilitate geographic referencing, for warning services, for legal issues, and to reduce confusion when two or more tropical cyclones occur at the same time. Through a vote of the World Meteorological Organization Region IV Subcommittee, Atlantic cyclone names are retired usually when hurricanes result in substantial damage or death or for other special circumstances.
Storm surge and large waves produced by hurricanes pose the greatest threat to life and property along the coast. Storm Surge is an abnormal rise of water generated by a storm’s winds. Storm surge can reach heights well over 20 feet and can span hundreds of miles of coastline.
In the northern hemisphere, the highest surge values typically occur in the right front quadrant of a hurricane coincident with onshore flow; in the southern hemisphere, the left front quadrant. More intense and larger hurricanes produce higher surge. In addition, shallower offshore waters contribute to higher storm surge inundation. Storm surge is by far the greatest threat to life and property along the immediate coast.
Storm Tide is the water level rise during a storm due to the combination of storm surge and the astronomical tide. For example, if a hurricane moves ashore at a high tide of 2 feet, a 15 foot surge would be added to the high tide, creating a storm tide of 17 feet. The combination of high winds and storm tide topped with battering waves can be deadly and cause tremendous property damage along an area of coastline hundreds of miles wide.
The destructive power of storm surge and large battering waves can result in loss of life, buildings destroyed, beach and dune erosion and road and bridge damage along the coast. Storm surge can travel several miles inland. In estuaries and bayous, salt water intrusion endangers public health and the environment.
Hurricane-force winds, 74 mph or more, can destroy buildings and mobile homes. Debris, such as signs, roofing material, siding and small items left outside become flying missiles during hurricanes. Winds can stay above hurricane strength well inland. In 2004, Hurricane Charley made landfall at Punta Gorda on the southwest Florida coast and produced major damage well inland across central Florida with gusts of more than 100 mph.
Tropical cyclones can also produce dangerous tornadoes. It is not unusual for tornado watches to be issued as a storm makes landfall and these can continue well after the storm moves inland. Listen for tornado warnings and take cover as directed.
Tropical cyclones often produce widespread, torrential rains in excess of 6 inches, which may result in deadly and destructive floods. In fact, flooding is the major threat from tropical cyclones for people living inland.
Flash flooding, defined as a rapid rise in water levels, can occur quickly due to intense rainfall. Longer term flooding on rivers and streams can persist for several days after the storm.
Rainfall amounts are not directly related to the strength of tropical cyclones but rather to the speed and size of the storm, as well as the geography of the area. Slower moving and larger storms produce more rainfall. In addition, mountainous terrain enhances rainfall from a tropical cyclone.
Even if a tropical cyclone stays well offshore, it can still be dangerous. The strong winds of a tropical cyclone can cause dangerous waves that pose a significant hazard to mariners and coastal residents and visitors. When the waves break along the coast, they can produce deadly rip currents—even at large distances from the storm.
Rip currents are channeled currents of water flowing away from shore, usually extending past the line of breaking waves that can pull even the strongest swimmers away from shore. In 2008, despite the fact that Hurricane Bertha was more than a 1,000 miles offshore, the storm resulted in rip currents that killed three people along the New Jersey coast and required 1,500 lifeguard rescues in Ocean City, Maryland, over a 1 week period. In 2009, all six deaths in the United States directly attributable to tropical cyclones occurred as the result of drowning from large waves or strong rip currents.
Before a Hurricane
To prepare for a hurricane, you should take the following measures:
- Determine safe evacuation routes inland.
- Learn locations of official shelters.
- Check emergency equipment, such as flashlights, generators and battery-powered equipment such as cell phones and your NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards receiver.
- Buy food that will keep and store drinking water.
- Review your insurance policy.
- Make plans to secure your property. Permanent storm shutters offer the best protection for windows. A second option is to board up windows with 5/8” marine plywood, cut to fit and ready to install. Tape does not prevent windows from breaking.
- Install straps or additional clips to securely fasten your roof to the frame structure. This will reduce roof damage.
- Be sure trees and shrubs around your home are well trimmed.
- Clear loose and clogged rain gutters and downspouts.
- Determine how and where to secure your boat.
- If you have pets, include them in your preparedness plan. Look for pet-friendly hotels or shelters on your evacuation route.
Build An Emergency Kit
An Emergency Supplies Kit Should include:
- At least a 3-day supply of water (one gallon per person, per day)
- At least a 3-day supply of non-perishable food
- At least, one change of clothing and shoes per person
- One blanket or sleeping bag per person
- First-aid kit
- Battery-powered NWR and a portable radio
- Flashlight, extra batteries
- Extra set of car keys
- Credit card and cash
- Special items for infant, elderly or disabled family members
- Prescription and non-prescription medicines
- Pet supplies, including carrier, leash, food, tags and licenses
During a Hurricane
If a hurricane is likely in your area, you should:
- Listen to the radio or TV for information.
- Secure your home, close storm shutters, and secure outdoor objects or bring them indoors.
- Turn off utilities if instructed to do so. Otherwise, turn the refrigerator thermostat to its coldest setting and keep its doors closed.
- Turn off propane tanks.
- Avoid using the phone, except for serious emergencies.
- Moor your boat if time permits.
- Ensure a supply of water for sanitary purposes such as cleaning and flushing toilets. Fill the bathtub and other large containers with water.
You should evacuate under the following conditions:
- If you are directed by local authorities to do so. Be sure to follow their instructions.
- If you live in a mobile home or temporary structure—such shelters are particularly hazardous during hurricanes no matter how well fastened to the ground.
- If you live in a high-rise building—hurricane winds are stronger at higher elevations.
- If you live on the coast, on a floodplain, near a river, or on an inland waterway.
- If you feel you are in danger.
If you are unable to evacuate, go to your safe room. If you do not have one, follow these guidelines:
- Stay indoors during the hurricane and away from windows and glass doors.
- Close all interior doors—secure and brace external doors.
- Keep curtains and blinds closed. Do not be fooled if there is a lull; it could be the eye of the storm – winds will pick up again.
- Take refuge in a small interior room, closet, or hallway on the lowest level.
- Lie on the floor under a table or another sturdy object.
After the Storm
- Keep listening to radio, TV or NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards for updated information.
- Wait until an area is declared safe before entering. If you have evacuated, be patient.
- Wait until local authorities have ensured the area is safe for reentry before you try to return home.
- Watch for closed roads. If you come upon a barricade or a flooded road, Turn Around Don’t Drown!
- Stay on firm, dry ground. Moving water only 6 inches deep can sweep you off your feet.
- Standing water may be electrically charged from power lines.
- If using a generator, avoid carbon monoxide poisoning by following the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Avoid weakened bridges and washed out roads.
- Once home, check gas, water and electrical and appliances for damage.
- Use a flashlight to inspect damage. Never use candles and other open flames indoors.
- Wear proper shoes to prevent cutting feet on sharp debris.
- Do not drink or prepare food with tap water until officials say it is safe.
- Avoid electrocution by not walking in areas with downed power poles or standing water.
Know These Key Terms
Familiarize yourself with these terms to help identify a hurricane hazard:
Tropical Depression. An organized system of clouds and thunderstorms with a defined surface circulation and maximum sustained winds of 38 MPH (33 knots) or less. Sustained winds are defined as one-minute average wind measured at about 33 ft (10 meters) above the surface.
Tropical Storm. An organized system of strong thunderstorms with a defined surface circulation and maximum sustained winds of 39–73 MPH (34–63 knots).
Hurricane. An intense tropical weather system of strong thunderstorms with a well-defined surface circulation and maximum sustained winds of 74 MPH (64 knots) or higher.
Storm Surge. A dome of water pushed onshore by hurricane and tropical storm winds. Storm surges can reach 25 feet high and be 50–1000 miles wide.
Storm Tide. A combination of storm surge and the normal tide (i.e., a 15-foot storm surge combined with a 2-foot normal high tide over the mean sea level created a 17-foot storm tide).
Hurricane/Tropical Storm Watch. Hurricane/tropical storm conditions are possible in the specified area, usually within 36 hours. Tune in to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for information.
Hurricane/Tropical Storm Warning. Hurricane/tropical storm conditions are expected in the specified area, usually within 24 hours.
Short Term Watches and Warnings. These warnings provide detailed information about specific hurricane threats, such as flash floods and tornadoes.
Homeless Charging Station
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Following the misdemeanor arrest of two homeless individuals in Portland for utilizing an outdoor energy outlet to charge their cell phones, Salvation Army staff have created a cellphone charging station.
The Oregonian reports (http://is.gd/htD6im) that the Salvation Army Female Emergency Shelter announced Tuesday that it has 5 USB ports and 4 electrical outlets accessible for any homeless woman who needs to charge their phone and doesn’t cost a thing.
Salvation Army spokeswoman Teresa Steinmetz says keeping electrical devices working is essential to holding down a job, a spot to dwell and different connections.
Final yr two homeless individuals had been charged with misdemeanor theft of services once they had been discovered charging their cell phones at an outside electrical outlet. Under Oregon regulation, there isn’t any minimal financial loss for theft costs. Each charge has since been dropped.
Celebrating 150 Years of “Doing the Most Good”
This year marks the 150th anniversary of The Salvation Army organization worldwide and also commemorates 130 years serving in the Chicagoland area. As one of the oldest nonprofit organizations in the city, The Salvation Army Metropolitan Division is also one of the largest direct providers of social services locally.
To help celebrate the organizations anniversary was American statesman, philanthropist and military leader, General Colin Powell, USA (Ret.) delivered the keynote address at an event celebrating The Salvation Army’s 150th worldwide anniversary at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers June 15. His delivery was riveting, exciting in the least and most informative and insightful. He moved the audience to tears, laughter, somber repose, inspired and touched them.
Also at the luncheon, Patricia Hemingway Hall, President and Chief Executive Officer of Health Care Service Corporation, will received the Salvation Army 2015 William Booth Award, the highest award that may be conferred upon an individual by The Salvation Army, and named after the organization’s founder. Past recipients of this award have included Bill Clinton, Senator Paul Simon, and Ambassador John Price, just to name a few. The Salvation Army honored Jewel-Osco with the 2015 “Others” Award for their long-term support as a corporate partner.
Omaha Salvation Army center construction set to begin this month
The Omaha Salvation Army recently reached its $23.6 million capital campaign goal for the new building.
The new 70,000-square-foot center, called Renaissance Village, will be less than half the size of the current 110-year-old building, but still will house most of the programs that operated there.
The new building is expected to open in late 2016. Workers won’t tear down the existing building until Renaissance Village is complete.
SOUTH BEND – One of the hundreds of bikers out there today had an especially long trip.
This is Martin Cooper from the Salvation Army. His ride started all the way in Medford, Oregon.
That’s more than two-thousand miles away and he is riding across the country to raise money and awareness to help end children’s hunger.
“I’ve been thinking about it for four or five years,” he said. “I just thought, when I retire, there has to be some way that I can help people. And you know, I don’t need to just go out and bug everybody in the community, so I thought I would ride across America.”
He plans to ride all the way to Washington DC – that will be a trip of 28-hundred miles.
He says he actually didn’t know about the Bike the Bend today. He was just planning to stop by the Kroc Center and he saw it on his way in.
Bike Across America 2 end Hunger
You can find more information about Martin over at his website on Facebook:
Toarminas Pizza delivers 1,000 pizzas!
Toarmina’s Pizza donated and delivered 1,000 pizzas to a number of Salvation Army Corps within the Downriver area.
The pizzas, valued at $10,000, are being made available to the Salvation Army as a fundraising instrument with pizza sales to Salvation Army supporters or as provisions to Salvation Army service customers.
Area Salvation Army’s that received the donation include Allen Park, Belleville, Lincoln Park, Romulus, Southgate, Taylor and Trenton.
“For 28 years, no matter our success, we’ve never forgotten those that make our communities safer and more livable,” Lou Toarmina, president of Toarmina’s Pizza, stated. “The Salvation Army is however one of many organizations we admire and help. Their work makes the lives of those that need them an incredible deal more helpful and safe.”
Fresh from donating $500 to the American Red Cross, Southeast Michigan Chapter last month, Toarmina mentioned the dedication of his firm and its individual proprietor-operators to Detroit and its neighbors is not going to stop.
The truth is, Toarmina looks forward to growing the number of shops – from its present 15 – all through Michigan over the following three years, each constructed with sturdy roots in each neighborhood that it serves.
LaMar’s Donuts is giving away free doughnuts in Fort Collins Friday to celebrate National Donut Day.
The Kansas City, Missouri-based company is partnering with Salvation Army to help raise money during the annual event. Donation kettles will be placed in participating LaMar’s locations including the two doughnut shops in Fort Collins — 1101 W. Drake Road and 140 E. Boardwalk Drive.
In addition to the donation kettles, LaMar’s will give a portion of this week’s sales to Salvation Army to support programs that provide meals to children in need. The company has 27 stores in throughout six states.
“The Salvation Army’s tireless mission to keep children clothed, sheltered and fed is an enduring reminder that many of our neighbors are in need,” LaMar’s spokesperson Temi Osifodunrin said in a statement. “LaMar’s is inviting communities we serve into our shops for free donuts and ask only that they consider donating to a praiseworthy cause.”
Customers aren’t required to make purchases to receive their free doughnuts Friday. The free-doughnut offer is good for any regular doughnut already available.
National Donut Day is celebrated the first Friday of June, a tradition dating to 1917, when women Salvation Army volunteers known as “Lassies” made doughnuts for soldiers on the front lines of World War I.
Dunkin’ Donuts is also celebrating the holiday by giving free doughnuts to customers who purchase beverages. On Oct. 28, the Massachusetts-based doughnut shop opened a location at 2801 S. College Ave, in Fort Collins.
By:Adrian D. Garcia
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (May 18, 2015) – Eleven years after Joan Kroc’s historic $1.5 billion bequest to The Salvation Army, 26 Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Centers are now open across the country, providing a variety of cultural, educational, fitness and social programs in neighborhoods that historically have lacked them. In a study commissioned by The Salvation Army, researchers at Partners for Sacred Places and McClanahan Associates, Inc. quantified the annual positive social and economic impact these centers are creating for and in their communities, totaling $258,178,776 (based on 2014 data).
Today, President Obama will visit the newest Kroc Center, in Camden, N.J., highlighting the impact that investment in facilities and programs like Kroc Centers can have on the long-term health of local communities.
The Kroc Centers are state-of-the-art venues typically located in underserved communities, where children and families can be exposed to a variety of people, activities and arts that would otherwise be beyond their reach. The Centers enhance quality of life by providing a safe environment with an emphasis on fitness and health, the arts and opportunities to build social connections.
“The research demonstrates in a quantifiable way the social and economic impact the Kroc Centers are having on people from the local community. They come, they get healthy, and they make important social connections. That’s the hallmark of what a Kroc Center is, and it creates a bona fide ‘Economic Halo Effect’ of positive benefits,” said Commissioner David Jeffrey, National Commander of The Salvation Army.
The study included the 25 Kroc Centers that had been open for at least six months by the end of 2014 (the Camden Kroc Center was not included because it opened in October 2014). The report is based on more than 100 interviews with staff, officers, participants, volunteers and community leaders; surveys of a representative sample of 1,580 patrons; and a review of operations-related documentation. Researchers looked at six areas:
- $99,195,478 – Direct spending by the centers to hire a total of 797 full-time and 2,288 part-time staff, and to buy local goods and services
- $70,601,194 – Invisible safety net: various catalyzing or leveraging economic values for center users including membership subsidies, scholarships, space and in-kind support to individuals and community-serving programs
- $48,738,141 – The value of people getting and staying healthier
- $30,986,249 – Magnet effect of induced spending in the local community by center visitors
- $7,914,702 – The value of daycare programs that allow parents to work
- $743,312 – Outdoor recreation space
“Anecdotally, we have understood from the outset that the Kroc Centers are fulfilling Joan Kroc’s vision of enriching lives,” said Commissioner Jeffrey. “We are blessed to have the scale and expertise to successfully implement her vision, and we are pleased that the ‘Economic Halo Effect’ report confirms and quantifies this real and ongoing benefit to the people and communities we serve.”
Separately, the study measures the one-time impact of construction-related spending for the 25 Kroc Centers studied, which exceeded $1.7 billion, with nearly 15,000 jobs created.
The study does not include quantitative measures of individual impact related to individual counseling that helped keep families together, taught social values and skills, helped people find jobs, and more. While real and effective in their impact, insufficient economic valuation models led the researchers to exclude these activities from the overall total.
“Between the one-time impact of construction and the ongoing impact of the centers’ operations, we are extremely pleased to confirm that our Kroc Centers have already in effect surpassed the value of this amazing gift and will keep on giving through annual impact in those communities,” continued Commissioner Jeffrey.
“We thank our donors, volunteers and community partners for the critical role they play in ensuring that these community benefits continue and grow year after year.”
About the Kroc Centers
In January 2004, The Salvation Army announced that Mrs. Kroc, widow of the McDonald’s franchise founder Ray Kroc, had bequeathed $1.5 billion to be separated equally among the organization’s four U.S. territories. The gift remains the second largest gift from an individual to a third party charity in American history.
Mrs. Kroc specifically directed The Salvation Army to use part of the money for endowments to help support the centers she envisioned across the United States, similar to the first Kroc Center she helped build in her hometown of San Diego with a gift of $90 million. That center continues to thrive, 13 years after its opening in a neighborhood that serves more than two dozen distinct ethnic groups.
Today, 26 Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Centers operate in communities across the United States and Puerto Rico.
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 range of social services: 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 salvationarmyusa.org.
When Liz Murray overcame homelessness to graduate from Harvard University, people called her a bootstrapper and lauded her hard work.
But hard work doesn’t tell the whole story, said Murray, the featured speaker at today’s D.J.’s Hero Awards luncheon sponsored by the Salvation Army.
There has to be a bridge — someone or something offering help and encouragement, she said. That could be a committed social worker, a friendly stranger, a scholarship fund.
“When you have that, an introduction to a person who can help you, it’s a bridge that turns hard work into opportunity,” she said.
In an interview Monday, Murray said it’s up to the community to be that bridge: “Nobody is off the hook.”
She said today’s Salvation Army event is part of the solution. Eight high school seniors each will receive a $10,000 scholarship at the luncheon. The awards are named after D.J. Sokol, the son of David and Peggy Sokol, who contributed to his school and community despite battling cancer. He died in 1999 at age 18.
Murray said she had lots of help and inspiration along her path. She went from being a homeless teen who missed school 75 percent of the time to making up lost courses in two years and winning a New York Times scholarship to the Ivy League school.
She was born in grinding poverty to drug-addicted parents, but she never was angry at them. Instead, she viewed the addiction as a terrible thing that happened to the family, which included a sister.
“I had an instinct for the fact that they were sick,” she said. “People can’t give what they don’t have.”
Despite that, they gave her plenty. She was grateful she grew up with two parents who showed her an abundance of love. With regular trips to the public library, her dad — who had two college degrees — planted the idea that education was a way out. Her mom taught her to dream when she shared her own dreams with her daughter at night.
In a roundabout way, they taught her to be independent. “I never expected people to do things, because no one did,” Murray said.
At age 13 she ended up in a difficult group home when her mom was hospitalized with end-stage AIDS. Dad was in a homeless shelter, and her sister lived with friends. By 15, she was homeless herself.
Her mom’s dreams of becoming sober and owning a home died when AIDS claimed her life. Murray took that as a signal that she should get serious about school to preserve her own dreams. She graduated from the Humanities Preparatory Academy in Manhattan despite a still-precarious living situation.
Strangers who read her story in the Times showed up to help: bringing brownies, cards, a homemade quilt. One woman drove from New Jersey each week to do her laundry.
Now, she said, she tries to do the same for teens in similar situations. She works with youths from Covenant House, the largest organization for homeless teens in the country. She looks for ways to introduce them to people who want to help with jobs, internships and other aid.
“I love to see people’s dreams come true,” she said.
She turned that coaching into a full-time business, but recently stepped back to have a family and pursue a doctorate in psychology from Columbia University.
She’ll share her story with the 1,100 people expected for today’s luncheon at the CenturyLink Center. She finds inspiration in the stories of each winner in the award’s 15-year history. They all have much to contribute, she said.
It’s up to everyone to help more young people figure that out, she said.
“One thing I hear people say constantly, when they’re talking about the ills of the world, is that someone needs to do something — ‘they’ need to do something. I ask: Do you realize there’s no ‘they?’ ”