SYRACUSE, NY, Nov. 3, 2008 -- Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) teams from Buffalo and Plattsburgh returned Oct. 31 from two-week assignments in hurricane-struck areas of Texas.

The Buffalo team included Buffalo residents Capt. Rebecca Stetser, Stephen M. Anastasia and Jose A. Rivera.

The Plattsburgh team included Captain Wendy Goodman of Plattsburgh, Captain Patricia Kurtz of Hornell, and Crystal M. Fox of Plattsburgh.

The three-person teams deployed Oct. 17 and staffed Mobile Disaster Canteens in the Galveston area, feeding victims and aid workers, as well as doing case management with victims.

"As case managers, disaster workers provide food baskets and give out $200 Walmart gift cards for folks to be able to get some goods they might need to try to bring some normalcy back to their lives," said Leslie Vattimo, EDS director for The Salvation Army's Empire State Division.

The disaster canteen teams provide food, water and, as needed, emotional and spiritual care.

"The situation is still bad in some areas," Vattimo said. "To date, the Salvation Army has served well over one million meals."

Noting the teams are among the newest to be trained, and the third round to be deployed, from the Empire State Division, Vattimo said: "All have been trained in Emergency Disaster Services." Some have received additional training in the Incident Command System, and Emotional and Spiritual Care.

Teams from Batavia, Hornell, Jamestown, and Syracuse also recently completed two-week deployments.

Vattimo said the Empire State Division has been conducting disaster training around the state for people interested in joining an EDS team from their local community.

"It's a real community collaboration," Vattimo noted.

The Empire State Division encompasses 4 Area Services, 47 Corps and 170 Volunteer Service Units in 48 upstate counties.