Local

Brevard man prepares to fly into storm to help bring clean water to storm victims

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — A local man who provides help during severe weather and even in war zones is preparing to help victims of Hurricane Beryl.

WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS

Joe Hurston with Air Mobile Ministries is preparing to bring clean water to those impacted by the powerful hurricane.

“What we do know is we’ve got a killer storm out here,” Hurston said. “As we speak right now, people are probably dying.”

Read: Trooper search for man involved in I-4 road rage shooting on Monday night

Hurston knows hurricanes, and earthquakes, and even war zones. He’s responded to many of them in a small plane, dubbed the Little Donkey.

“I’m getting my airplane ready to come in on the backside of that storm,” Hurston said.

Saving lives, with clean water. He’s getting ready to do it again. Air Mobile Ministries is preparing to stage in Puerto Rico and then on to wherever needed, providing water purification systems to those Caribbean islands that could be devastated by Hurricane Beryl.

Read: Floridians with disabilities applaud new law protecting their rights

“Each machine can give a thousand people a day drinking water,” Hurston said. “And our little airplane can carry ten machines comfortably.”

Clean water is a vital resource after disasters, as diseases spread through dirty water systems quickly.

“When you have a hurricane come through, it’s going to mess up your water, guaranteed,” Hurston said. “The sewer water is going to mix with the good water. When that happens, you got you got bad water. Really bad water.”

Read: U.S. schools face shortage of special education teachers

Hurston has delivered 1500 of the water purifiers to 52 different countries, but the ministry got its start in the Caribbean. It’s his concern for the people there that had him watching this storm so closely, before it ever had a name.

“This is an unfolding catastrophe, like we can’t believe,” Hurston said.

Hurston is asking for the public’s help to fund the ten units he can fit on his plane, set to leave here as soon as it’s safe to do so. Each one costs $2000.

You can learn more about how to help here:  https://airmobile.org/

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

Karla Ray

Karla Ray, WFTV.com

Karla Ray anchors Eyewitness News This Morning on Saturday and Sundays, and is an investigative reporter for the 9 Investigates unit.

0
Comments on this article
0