Samaritan’s Purse Deploys Two Disaster Relief Units to Help Victims of California Wildfires

Samaritan's Purse | Updated: Sep 18, 2015

Samaritan’s Purse Deploys Two Disaster Relief Units to Help Victims of California Wildfires

The international relief organization Samaritan’s Purse is sending aid to those affected by the California wildfires.

According to a report from Samaritan’s Purse, the organization is sending out two specially equipped tractor trailers, stocked with supplies needed by those affected by the fires. 

The New York Times reports that the fires have destroyed over 1,000 buildings, 800 of them personal homes, and caused the deaths of five people. 700,000 acres of California land have burned this year. Officials also report that fire season typically runs well into October. 

“We’ve had fires in California since the beginning of time,” said Mark Ghilarducci, the director of the governor’s Office of Emergency Services, “but what we’re seeing now that’s different is the extreme rapid spread of the fires, and the extreme volatility.”

Samaritan’s Purse aims to utilize its network of volunteers from across the country to assist families as they deal with the ravages of the fires. Some volunteers will help families as they sift through valued belongings that were buried under ashes.

“These vicious wildfires have already burned up thousands of acres, and they’re still raging,” said Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham. “We are praying for those affected, and our teams are there to help devastated families pick up the pieces of their lives.”

Samaritan’s Purse reports that teams assisting with the Butte fire response will be based at San Andreas Community Covenant Church, and those helping with the Valley fire recovery efforts will be working from Middletown Bible Church.

A team of chaplains has also been dispatched by Samaritan’s Purse to go to the scene of the fires and share Christ’s love and provide spiritual and emotional care to victims.

Since 1998, Samaritan’s Purse has helped more than 29,000 families in 35 U.S. states following floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, fires and ice storms. Earlier this year the organization helped people after floods in Texas, Kentucky and Florida; tornadoes in Oklahoma; and ice storms in Tennessee. For information on volunteering or to donate to Samaritan’s Purse relief efforts, visit www.spvolunteernetwork.org or www.samaritanspurse.org.

Courtesy: Samaritan's Purse

Publication date: September 18, 2015



Samaritan’s Purse Deploys Two Disaster Relief Units to Help Victims of California Wildfires