TITUSVILLE, Fla. – More help is on the way to earthquake-ravaged Puerto Rico – this time from the Space Coast.
- Joe Hurston taking water purifiers to Puerto Rico
- He will also be taking repair equipment with him on his trip
- Hurston wants to help those affected by recent earthquakes
For years, Joe Hurston of Air Mobile Ministries has had a thirst to help victims of natural disasters.
"I've been tracking this thing since the very first earthquake," Hurston said.
His aim this time is to provide clean drinking water to earthquake victims in Puerto Rico.
For the majority of his trips to those areas, he brings along hand-built water purifiers and plugs into wells. But after visiting the island after Hurricane Maria in 2017, Hurston had an idea to prepare for the next disaster.
"I'd say 'squirreled' five units away, put them in a safe location, all sealed up and ready," he said. "And I told the guy keeping them, we'd be back when the next disaster hits."
Who knew it would be a little more than two years later, and an earthquake at that.
Each tiny purifier has the ability to bring water to 1,000 people a day, for years to come.
Hurston normally flies his own plane to deliver and set up the equipment.
But since he already has purifiers on the ground in Puerto Rico, he's flying in commercially with a couple of them and high-tech repair equipment.
"We felt the time was right, get in, lay the groundwork and prepare for what's coming next," Hurston said. "If I were on that island and thirsty, I would want somebody to bring me some clean water."
Hurston flew out of Orlando on Thursday and will be spending an indefinite time in Puerto Rico.