The Salvation Army Responds to Ernesto 

by Warren L. Maye

When Ernesto lashed Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Division on Aug. 14, 2024, it was initially designated as a strong tropical storm. But sustained winds soon reached 86 mph, and the storm was upgraded to a hurricane. It downed trees, blocked roads, and tore off galvanized metal roofs. Over 728,000 households in Puerto Rico, representing 50% of the island, lost power. An additional 235,000 households suffered water outages. 

Flooding occurred in the central and western portions of Puerto Rico and in St. Croix. Although power was restored quickly in most areas, rains continued as the storm moved north toward Bermuda.  

As soon as the hurricane began to clear in Puerto Rico, The Salvation Army responded by offering food and relief items and coordinated with the Puerto Rico Emergency Management Agency and the Emergency Operations Center. Local Army corps provided approximately 300 meals, and corps and divisional Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) workers offered additional support with hydration and bulk relief items. 

In the aftermath of the storm, EDS workers visited communities across Puerto Rico and distributed hot food, cleaning kits, boxes of water, and bags of ice, among other essential supplies.  

“I know we distributed 3,800 meals over five days,” said Robert Myers III, EDS director for The Salvation Army’s USA Eastern Territory. “The storm impacted mainly communities on the southern and western sides of the island.”