A devastating number of tornadoes hit the North West Ohio area on the evening of November 10 with wide spread destruction in and around the Van Wert, Ohio area. The devastated area measures 1/2 mile by 14 miles. Hundreds of people are without electricity, food, showers, etc. and other staples and most are expected to be without power for at least a week.

The first Salvation Army canteen responded from Cincinnati Area Services at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 10th along with a trailer of generators and other emergency equipment. It arrived in Van Wert and set up its base operations next to the command center. All emergency efforts were placed on hold until the daylight hours.

Corps Officer Captain Pat Ward and David Hersch (from Cincinnati Area Services Disaster) returned from a 9:00 a.m. meeting (11/11) with local and state FEMA representatives in Van Wert and following that meeting, other canteens were released from Sidney, Ohio and Lexington, Kentucky to the disaster site. Volunteers were sent from Sidney and Piqua, Ohio to assist on the canteens.

There are three (3) canteens already on site serving food items and drinks, providing counseling, etc. The Salvation Army was also able to provide an emergency generator to a local nursing home, which lost all power because of the storm.

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