Representatives of Chattanooga and the local Salvation Army are spread across Middle Tennessee to help with recovery after highly deadly tornadoes ripped through the area in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
“The City of Chattanooga and Mayor Andy Berke are continuing to stay in touch with mayors and officials from the affected communities and we will continue to be as responsive as we can,” Chief Operating Officer Maura Black Sullivan said in an email Thursday afternoon. “Natural disasters don’t discriminate by zip code or county lines, and in our own moments of crisis, our neighbors have come to our aid. The City of Chattanooga is proud to be able to uphold the values of the Volunteer State and provide assistance to those in need.”
To date, the city has sent a 10-person crew from the Department of Public Works to help with disaster relief in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. That crew includes three, two-man cutting crews and crew cabs with supplies; three “knuckle boom trucks” that have articulated, hydraulic cranes that can move heavy objects, as well as the people to operate them; and one general supervisor to assess and direct the operation for city staff.
The Chattanooga Fire Department is on standby if needed.
Salvation Army
Volunteers from the local Salvation Army joined statewide efforts by the non-profit to benefit those effected by the storms in Wilson, Davidson and Putnam counties.
According to a release, The Salvation Army is mobilizing disaster relief teams from across its Kentucky and Tennessee division to help those in need. As day three of serving begins, The Salvation Army is calling in additional support. Mobile kitchen units and personnel from Memphis, Chattanooga, Paducah and Louisville were set to arrive Thursday afternoon.
(MORE: How to help Tennessee tornado victims)
“The Salvation Army’s privilege of serving neighbors and helping neighbors is humbling,” Nashville Area Commander Maj. Ethan Frizzell said. “As the strength of the community rises, The Salvation Army is privileged to be a small part of continuing our long-term support including emotional and spiritual care on the front lines and feeding those affected throughout Middle Tennessee.”
As of Thursday, The Salvation Army had served more than 1,000 meals and had provided more than 400 individuals with emotional and spiritual care in Davidson, Wilson, and Putnam counties in Tennessee in the wake of the storm.
Contact Sarah Grace Taylor at 423-757-6416 or at staylor@timesfreepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @_sarahgtaylor.
