Des Moines, IA - Ruan Transport Corporation, one of America's leading commercial carriers, is hauling water, food and other supplies for residents in hurricane Gustav-affected areas. In partnerships with FEMA and Target Corporation, Ruan will provide aid to storm-damaged communities along the Gulf Coast, including Lafayette, LA.
Thirty Ruan tankers are delivering clean water to a Home Depot warehouse in Lafayette where it is being distributed to citizens and businesses. Much of the water supply in Lafayette and surrounding areas may be contaminated from bacterial Gustav stirred up and brought in, and some government leaders estimate it could be a couple weeks before water plants are operating normally.
Ruan has a history of donating services for disaster assistance. The company first worked with FEMA in 2003 when storms battered Florida, and then assisted again in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans.
"FEMA knows when there's a need, we'll respond," says Roger Marlow, Ruan Vice President and Regional Manager. "Ruan's fleet can quickly and efficiently get essential items to the people who need them and we're happy to do it."
A Ruan truck also picked up fourteen pallets of food and comfort items from the Cedar Falls, Iowa, Target distribution center and delivered it Wednesday morning to the Minneapolis Convention Center. Target is donating more than $300,000 in product for relief packages to support Hurricane Gustav relief assistance efforts, in partnership with the Red Cross. The packages were assembled by volunteers and delegates in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area for the Republican National Convention.
Ruan and Target also partnered to provide relief supplies to residents of tornado-stricken Manhattan, KS, earlier this summer.