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8.0 Earthquake in Myanmar 2025
East TN humanitarian returns home after delivering water purifiers to Southeast Asia after devastating earthquake Myanmar with water purifiers after devastating earthquake kills thousands
Joe Hurston works with Air Mobile Ministries to bring aid to regions across the world impacted by natural disasters and conflict.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A humanitarian who routinely flies out to regions of the world devastated by natural disasters and conflicts is back home from Southeast Asia, after an earthquake killed more than 2,000 people in Myanmar.
Joe Hurston, the founder of Air Mobile Ministries, delivered 10 water purifiers to communities upended by the quake. He left in early April and spent weeks in the country, helping deploy the purifiers and teaching people how to use them.
4/24/2025
Myanmar with water purifiers after devastating earthquake kills thousands
Joe Hurston, with Air Mobile Ministries, routinely flies out to disaster areas and into conflicts to deliver aid to impacted communities.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — An East Tennessee man will fly thousands of miles away from home to deliver water purifiers to a region of the world reeling from devastating earthquakes that killed more than 2,700 people.
Joe Hurston is a humanitarian working with Air Mobile Ministries, a nonprofit that seeks to make sure communities impacted by conflict and natural disasters have access to clean water. He has previously flown to Ukraine, the Middle East, Haiti and plenty of other regions to deliver aid.
4/3/2025
Hurricane Helene 2024
'Brought Me to Tears': Operation Blessing's Gift of Clean Drinking Water a Game-Changer in NC
Clean water is now one of the most sought-after commodities in remote areas of Western North Carolina. Operation Blessing teams are taking to the air with a helicopter to reach isolated areas with water purification systems, solar lights, and emergency food packages.
10/11/24
Air Mobile Ministries flies into Asheville, delivering 10 water purifiers after deadly storm
The nonprofit routinely flies toward disaster areas, bringing water purification devices.
10/4/24
Air Mobile Ministries flies into Asheville, delivering 10 water purifiers after deadly storm
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — An East Tennessee nonprofit that routinely flies into disaster areas, hauling devices that purify water, said it would make its next stop in Asheville.
The North Carolina city was wracked by a hurricane that killed dozens and swept communities underwater, tearing apart roads and sending floods into neighborhoods. It also sparked concerns about how people would find clean water. The storm knocked out water systems across the region.
9/30/24
Air Mobile Ministries flies into Asheville, delivering 10 water purifiers after deadly storm
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — An East Tennessee nonprofit that routinely flies into disaster areas, hauling devices that purify water, said it would make its next stop in Asheville.
The North Carolina city was wracked by a hurricane that killed dozens and swept communities underwater, tearing apart roads and sending floods into neighborhoods. It also sparked concerns about how people would find clean water. The storm knocked out water systems across the region.
9/30/24
Caribbean 2024
We fly and bring people clean water’ | East Tennessee organization providing clean water for Hurricane Beryl survivors
SNEEDVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - Hurricane Beryl has been wreaking havoc on the Caribbean Islands. Strong winds and heavy storms destroyed towns and made life very hard on residents of the affected areas.
Here in East Tennessee, a local nonprofit is helping those affected people by supplying them with water purifiers.
“Clean water is a non negotiable, you have to have it,” Joe Hurston, the president and founder of Air Mobile Ministries said. “After a few days you’re sick and dying. We know this. Hurricanes destroy whatever source of water you had, it is going to be damaged.”
Air Mobile Ministries has been providing water purifiers to people affected by national and man-made disasters since 1978. They reach those people by a small plane, piloted by Hurston and his co-pilot, loaded up with all the water purifiers they can haul.
7/5/24
Titusville pilot flies water purifiers to areas devastated by Hurricane Beryl
Joe Hurston’s Air Mobile Ministries has brought clean drinking water to over 50 countries since 1978
TITUSVILLE, Fla. – When disaster strikes, the world can count on a local pilot and humanitarian to be there.
Since starting Air Mobile Ministries in 1978, Joe Hurston and his volunteers have helped bring clean water to people in more than 50 countries at the mercy of Mother Nature.
Last summer, News 6′s James Sparvero met Hurston at the airport in Titusville before he flew water purifying machines to Hawaii after deadly wildfires.
Now, Hurston is getting ready to take off again — this time, toward the destructive path of Hurricane Beryl.
7/3/24
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. 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.”
7/2/24
Air Mobile Ministries to deliver water purifiers in Beryl's aftermath
TITUSVILLE, Fla. — Help is on the way to Hurricane Beryl ravaged areas in the Caribbean.
Joe Hurston of Air Mobile Ministries in Titusville is taking flight again with several water purifiers. The goal is to get behind the hurricane and land in damaged areas. The mission is to bring water purifiers to places where there is no water, or it’s contaminated.
7/2/24
Florida man sending aid to Caribbean following Hurricane Beryl
Relief efforts for those impacted in the Caribbean by Hurricane Beryl are already underway. A Florida man hopes to be in the Caribbean by the end of this week.
7/2/24
Israel and Gaza Videos
'It's like a big family' | Humanitarian worker from East Tennessee mourns death of 7 aid workers killed in Gaza
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Seven aid workers were killed in Gaza by Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday. They were from Britain, Australia and Poland. Another was a Canadian American dual citizen, and another was Palestinian. All of them worked to deliver vital resources to a starving Gaza, and an East Tennessee man said he knew them while working to help communities across the world. 4/3/24
Click on the Picture to go to the story.
TITUSVILLE, Fla. — A Central Florida nonprofit is working to bring some help to people in the Gaza Strip.
Air Mobile Ministries, based in Brevard County, is headed to the Middle East with 10 water purifiers.
Joe Hurston is the founder and president of Air Mobile Ministries and said the intended delivery is not about choosing sides in the ongoing war.
“Frankly, I don’t want them to fall into the hands of soldiers,” Hurston said. “We’re working real hard, and getting a lot of good intel, about people who are on the ground there right now. And that’s what we’re going to do.”
The organization says the purifiers can produce up to 25 gallons of clean water every hour. 3/6/24
Click on the Picture to go to the story.
East Tennessee man working to deliver water purifiers to refugees as fighting rages in Gaza
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — An East Tennessee man who brings water purification devices to areas across the world that have been struck by tragedy is heading back out to help refugees from the Gaza area.
Joe Hurston is the founder and president of Air Mobile Ministries, an organization that started in 1978 and brings supplies to areas struck by natural disasters, wars, and worse across the world. He will soon bring water purifiers to the Gaza border in Egypt. The devices are developed in East Tennessee and can produce up to 25 gallons of clean water an hour, 3/5/24
Click on the Picture to go to the story.
Please read the text portion of the interview, it is much more informative.
Maui Videos
East TN man returns home after delivering water purification supplies to Maui following wildfires
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — An East Tennessee is back home after traveling to Maui, bringing water purification supplies to an area devastated by wildfires.
In early August, wildfires demolished the historic town of Lahaina. They swept through the area and killed at least 115 people, sending several others running into the ocean to escape the flames. The fire left behind block after block of hollowed-out homes, charred cars, singed trees and piles of debris. 8/23/23
Titusville group sending water purifiers to Maui to aid in recovery
TITUSVILLE, Fla. — Air Mobile Ministries is sending ten water purifiers to the wildfire-ravaged Hawaiian Island of Maui, President Joe Hurston said Monday.
Hurston said the water purifiers will help provide safe and clean water for the people of Maui to drink while the island tries to recover from the wildfires that have devastated the historical city of Lahaina and claimed at least 93 lives. "This pump will pump 20 to 25 gallons of water per hour, no slow drip with this machine," Hurston said. "And that means, if it's 20 to 25 gallons per hour, each person needs half a gallon or 64 ounces of water a day. So that means 40 to 50 people per hour get the water that they need from dirty water." 8/15/23
Brevard County nonprofit flies water purifiers to Maui after deadly wildfires
TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Forty-five years after starting Air Mobile Ministries, Joe Hurston has helped people in 51 countries to obtain access to clean water during natural disasters and warfare.
Now, the 72-year-old humanitarian is packing the first water purifying machines he’s ever prepared to help wildfire victims in Hawaii.
“Bodies have just been incinerated. There’s still 1,500 people missing,” Hurston said of the Maui wildfires, which have become the nation’s fifth-deadliest on record.
As the death toll rises, Hurston said each of the ten purifiers that Air Mobile Ministries made can provide enough clean drinking water for 1,000 people every day. 8/14/23
Air Mobile Ministries heading to Maui to provide clean water
Joe Hurston founded Air Mobile Ministries in 1978 and since its start, he's traveled all over the world providing fresh, clean water to those in need. 8/14/23
Turkey Rescue Videos
East TN man and Remote Area Medical team up to bring supplies to those in need
Joe Hurston is the president of Air Mobile Ministries and has made multiple trips around the world bringing water purifiers to communities in need.
HANCOCK COUNTY, Tenn. — Joe Hurston, president of Air Mobile Ministries, is teaming up with Remote Area Medical to help out those in need.
Joe Hurston founded Air Mobile Ministries in 1978. The nonprofit delivers medical supplies, food, clothing and a special water purification system to areas of the world impacted by disaster and conflict. In the past, he has made trips to Turkey-Syria after the region was hit by deadly quakes and he has traveled to war-torn Ukraine multiple times. 5/9/23
Titusville nonprofit donates water purifiers to earthquake victims in Turkey, Syria
TITUSVILLE, Fla. — More than 25,000 people have died after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake pummeled southeastern Turkey and northwestern Syria.
And millions are without homes.
Both countries are facing a humanitarian crisis, with the search and recovery efforts still underway days after the disaster.
n Central Florida, a team from Titusville will make the trek to Turkey.
Air Mobile Ministries is taking food, clothing and fresh water to people recovering from the disaster.
The faith-based organization’s leader, Joe Hurston, is no stranger to disaster recovery. 2/11/23
Space Coast-made water purifiers head to aid Turkey, Syria earthquake survivors
TITUSVILLE, Fla – A Saturday morning stopover at the Space Coast Regional Airport in Titusville was a small, but crucial stop for Joe Hurston. The president of Air Mobile Ministries was once again mobilizing equipment to head to the scene of another natural disaster.
The stop at this airport was to inspect and pack up 14 water purification kits that he and his team with the ministry build to help restore water infrastructure, following events like hurricanes and earthquakes.
The massive earthquake that devastated Syria and Turkey was weighing heavily on his mind earlier this week while he was in Tennessee. 2/11/23
Brevard humanitarian group journeys to Turkey earthquake zone with supplies in hand
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – The founder of a Brevard County humanitarian group is starting his journey to the earthquake zone of Turkey.
Infrastructure damage from the quake has made it tough for survivors to find clean water. That’s why Joe Hurston and his “Air Mobile Ministries” team will deliver water purifiers to the region.
“Clean water is pretty much the No. 1 need after almost any disaster,” Hurston said. “When we arrive, I can literally set this up in one minute.”
Hurston and two other volunteers are bound for Turkey to help those impacted by an earthquake last week that killed more than 24,000 people and left 80,000 hurt. 2/11/23
They will need the water purifiers: East TN man heads to Turkey to provide potable water to quake victims
Joe Hurston last year traveled to Eastern Europe to help victims of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — First thing Friday, Joe Hurston heads out on another mission to bring potable water to thousands of people in need.
Hurston will bring 14 water purifiers to southern Turkey, which along with parts of northern Syria has been devastated by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake. Reports indicate more than 20,000 people have been killed; the death count has continued to climb. 2/9/23
Sneedville pilot to drop off water purifiers in Turkey following deadly disaster
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - Pilot Joe Hurston with Airmobile Ministries, is soaring the skies, again. On Thursday, he told WVLT News he is taking two volunteers with him to Turkey.
After Monday’s earthquake, more than 21,000 people were confirmed dead and the number was expected to rise. The U.S. State Department confirmed three Americans were among the thousands killed. American rescue teams are now on the ground, with search dogs and heavy equipment helping dig through the rubble there. 2/9/23
Photo Gallery
Haiti 2021 Earthquake
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Feeding India
