Operation Blessing International Sends Advance Team to North Dakota to Plan Flood Relief Efforts
Disaster relief specialists Operation Blessing International have sent an advance team of first responders to Fargo, North Dakota to plan flood relief efforts for what is expected to be a record disaster.
The team arrived this morning and will be meeting with local authorities and emergency managers in the next 24 hours. The charity is planning to mobilize a portable kitchen that can feed thousands of first responders and emergency workers, in addition to bringing in heavy equipment to clear debris. The charity’s national reserve staff is on alert and ready to respond.
The Red River, swollen from snowmelt and heavy rain, is expected to crest at a record 41 feet on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. The previous record is 40.1 feet, set in 1897.
To donate, volunteer, or read updates on OBI’s efforts, please log on to www.ob.org and/or www.myowneyes.org.
ABOUT OPERATION BLESSING INTERNATIONAL:
Operation Blessing International (OBI) is one of the largest charities in America, providing strategic disaster relief, medical aid, hunger relief, clean water and community development in 22 countries around the world on a daily basis. In 2008, OBI responded to 33 disasters in 16 foreign countries as well as 7 major domestic disasters. Most recently, OBI mobilized teams and funded major relief and recovery efforts in Myanmar, the Sichuan Province of China, Rift Valley in Kenya, Bangladesh, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, the Darfur region of Sudan, Pakistan, Somalia, India, Indonesia, Mozambique and the Philippines. OBI has also made headlines as a first responder to U.S. hurricanes, floods and tornadoes as well as the tsunami disaster in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. In addition to directing major disaster relief efforts, OBI has often filled the role of logistical arm to organizations including the International Red Cross, the Salvation Army, UNICEF and the United Nations World Food Program. Founded in 1978, Operation Blessing International has touched the lives of more than 209.3 million people in more than 105 countries and 50 states, providing goods and services valued at over $1.7 billion to date.
