Samaritan’s Purse has airlifted 17 tons of emergency relief equipment, tools, and several volunteers to Hawaii on its DC-8 cargo plane in the wake of the deadly wildfires that broke out across multiple islands. Disaster response specialists with the N.C.-based organization have been on the ground since Thursday, conducting assessments and coordinating with local authorities and church partners. In addition to supplies, the plane carried additional staff and volunteers, including chief operating officer Edward Graham, to join the team already on the ground.
In the coming days, Samaritan’s Purse volunteers will serve in Maui, sifting through ashes for residents in search of priceless mementos and items that may have survived the flames as clean up begins. By lending a helping hand, these volunteers will serve as tangible reminders to victims of the wildfires that God is there with them, even in tragedy.
“What has happened in Hawaii is nothing short of devastating,” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse. “As the death toll has risen, my heart breaks for those who have lost loved ones and for the families who must now begin the long road to recovery. Please join me in praying for them and for our Samaritan’s Purse teams who are responding in Jesus’ Name.”
In 2018, Samaritan’s Purse mobilized equipment and more than 380 volunteers to help families in the wake of the catastrophic flooding on Kauai—providing the ministry with a robust network of contacts and partners on the ground to help implement this response.