Volunteers train in mobile kitchen for disaster

Salvation Army worker Jennifer Morris serves up hot dogs to feed a group of homeless out of their disaster canteen Saturday morning in downtown Little Rock. The workers volunteered to learn every aspect of running the canteen, to build up the number of trained personnel to run it in an actual emergency. Even though they were parked outside of their building on W. Markham the volunteers powered the unit with generators and propane just like they would at a real disaster scene.
Salvation Army worker Jennifer Morris serves up hot dogs to feed a group of homeless out of their disaster canteen Saturday morning in downtown Little Rock. The workers volunteered to learn every aspect of running the canteen, to build up the number of trained personnel to run it in an actual emergency. Even though they were parked outside of their building on W. Markham the volunteers powered the unit with generators and propane just like they would at a real disaster scene.

Volunteers moved their operations outside and cooked hot dogs and baked beans in a mobile kitchen in the Salvation Army parking lot today to prepare themselves for disaster relief.

The Salvation Army utilizes these kitchens on wheels during disasters, such as tornadoes or hurricanes.

Volunteers moved their operations outside and cooked hot dogs and baked beans in a mobile kitchen in the Salvation Army parking lot Saturday, March 24, to prepare themselves for disaster relief.

The Salvation Army utilizes these kitchens on wheels during disasters, such as tornadoes or hurricanes.

Salvation Army prepares volunteers for disaster

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"Whenever there is a disaster where there is going to be a long-term power outage or people can't get food or maybe first responders are out in a park situation where there is a flood and they can't go to get food or hydration, we'll bring it to them," said Jim Taylor, area commander of the Salvation Army.

Volunteers learned how to operate the mobile kitchen's equipment Saturday morning, including learning how to start the generator, which powers the kitchen, while people lined up for a midday meal.

Taylor said the vehicle contains a gas stove and a refrigerator. The truck that volunteers trained on at the Salvation Army's West Markham Street location was also used in Gulf Coast areas for hurricane relief, he said.

Jennifer Morris, disaster trainee and employee, said that she wanted to learn to utilize the mobile kitchen in case she ever volunteered during a disaster.

"I think it's fun," Morris said. "It's a little fast paced, a little hectic... I enjoy it."

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