Salvation Army hosts training series on disaster preparedness starting Saturday

Virgin Islands residents will have the chance to learn about food safety among hurricane and other disaster-related preparedness tips during a training hosted by the St. Thomas branch of the Salvation Army.

The free, open-to-the-public training series will be held Saturday at the Winston Raymo Recreation Center in Hospital Ground, St. Thomas. The series will explore various hurricane preparedness topics, with the first event being held on food safety. The training aims to teach Virgin Islands residents about food preservation and expiration as well as other safety measures to avoid sickness during the territory’s frequent blackouts.

“I think the main purpose of this topic here, especially, is we are losing power all the time,” Mary Brown, the Salvation Army-St. Thomas Corps donor relations director, said about power blackouts by the V.I. Water and Power Authority. “[Residents] might be eating something they think is OK but really is not. This will give them a guideline on what to throw out.”