Samaritan's Purse sending its Disaster Relief Unit to Thunder Bay in response to flooding

Christian relief organization will recruit volunteers and assist with flood recovery

CALGARY, June 5, 2012 /CNW/ - Samaritan's Purse Canada is sending its specially equipped Disaster Relief Unit  to northern Ontario and will recruit volunteers to clean up homes and businesses in response to flooding in Thunder Bay, sparked by heavy rain and a breakdown of the city's sewage pumping station.

The city has declared a state of emergency and is requesting assistance.

"We have been monitoring the situation to gather information about the damage, and we are in contact with churches and other non-government partners in the area to form a coordinated response," said Fred Weiss, Samaritan's Purse Canada's executive director.

The Christian relief and development organization, in preparation for the clean-up, will begin meeting with local homeowners, recruiting and training volunteers, and driving its Calgary-based Disaster Relief Unit to Thunder Bay.

The Disaster Relief Unit is a tractor trailor outfitted with essential disaster recovery equipment including generators, pumps, hand tools, and safety gear for volunteers. It also serves as a volunteer coordination center, and is equipped with a self-contained office, communications system, and other supplies.

More than 500 Thunder Bay homeowners have contacted the city requesting flood assistance. Samaritan's Purse is working in partnership with Mennonite Disaster Relief Services, another faith-based organization providing flood relief in Thunder Bay.

Samaritan's Purse has other Disaster Relief Units based in southern Ontario and Moncton, New Brunswick. In recent years, we have responded to flooding in New Brunswick, Quebec and British Columbia; to forest fires in Slave Lake, AB; to a tornado in Leamington, ON; and to Hurricane Igor in Newfoundland.

Samaritan's Purse also responds to international disasters - including Hurricane Ida in Nicaragua in 2009, the enormous earthquake in Haiti in 2010, and the devastating earthquake/tsunami in Japan last year. The Calgary-based charity is continuing to assist in Haiti and Japan.

Donations Needed
To support Samaritan's Purse's disaster relief efforts, please visit http://www.samaritanspurse.ca (click on "Donate") or call 1-800-663-6500.

About Samaritan's Purse Canada
Samaritan's Purse Canada is an international Christian relief and development organization working in about 60 countries to help victims of war, disease, disaster, poverty, famine, and persecution. The Christian charity also operates the well-known Operation Christmas Child program that sends gift-filled shoe boxes to needy children around the world each year, and the Turn on the Tap initiative that raises funds for life-saving BioSand Water Filters in the developing world. Go to http://www.samaritanspurse.ca.

Media Inquiries:
Frank King.
Communications Manager
Samaritan's Purse Canada
403-990-0161 (mobile)
[email protected]