GREENSBORO, N.C. — Samaritan's Purse is stepping up to help Hurricane Dorian victims.
The international Christian relief and evangelism organization is preparing to send tons of emergency relief from Greensboro to the Bahamas aboard a private aircraft as soon as feasible.
The plane is expected to carry emergency shelter material, household water filters, and two community filtration units that turn saltwater into drinking water.
More than a dozen disaster response team specialists are also scheduled to travel to the island.
"Samaritan's Purse has been watching and preparing to respond to Hurricane Dorian. We are loading our DC-8 with supplies that we plan to take down as soon as the storm clears, and it's safe to land," said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan's Purse. "Families in the Bahamas are suffering and millions of others are bracing for Dorian's impact as the storm continues to move. Please join me in praying for everyone affected by this hurricane, and for our teams as we respond in Jesus' Name."
Samaritan's Purse plans to send an international relief team to the Bahamas to facilitate the distribution of critically needed items, such as desalination units, plastic/tarp, and other items.
Hurricane Dorian made multiple landfalls across the Bahamas on Sunday, packing sustained winds of 185 mph, with gusts up to 225 mph.
Some of the devastated locations include the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama. More than 13,000 homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed.
The U.S. disaster relief teams are also ready to mobilize. Tractor-trailers, known as Disaster Relief Units, are packed with chainsaws, generators, tools, and supplies.
Key personnel are standing by to begin assessments immediately after the storm passes.
Samaritan's Purse says connections have also been made with local officials and church partners in areas that might be damaged.