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OWEGO -- The Salvation Army will offer emergency disaster training at Open Door Mission in Owego in November in an effort to start a local response team of Salvation Army volunteers, announced Salvation Army Field Representative Rick Damore.
"Introduction to Emergency Disaster Services (EDS)" will run from 6 to 9:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 20, and "Introduction to the Incident Command System (ICS)" will run from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21 Both classes will be held at Open Door Mission, 425 North Ave., Owego.
Damore, who works with Volunteer Service Units in the smaller communities of Tioga and surrounding counties, said the classes were free and open to anyone who registers in advance -- by Nov. 13. Materials and refreshments will be provided. To register, call Open Door Mission at 607-687-1121, or go to RedKettles.org.
"This training is the first step for people who would like to become part of an Emergency Disaster Services team, ready to help their local community or even in a disaster elsewhere," noted Leslie Vattimo, certified instructor and director of disaster services for The Salvation Army's Empire State Division. Volunteers completing the training can become certified in Emergency Disaster Services and receive a Salvation Army photo ID, she said.
In the introductory course, "participants will learn about The Salvation Army, its mission, how it operates in disaster situations, how they would fit in and what would be expected of them, including how they can best prepare and equip themselves for disaster relief," Vattimo said. The ICS class provides a general orientation to The Salvation Army Incident Command System at a disaster site. "Participants learn how ICS is used to command, control and coordinate disaster relief operations, including interfacing with government and non-government agencies also responding to a disaster," she said.
The intro course are prerequisites for advanced disaster training in Food Service and Food Safety, First Aid/CPR, Emotional and Spiritual Care, plus additional specialized courses, she said.
Because of its "everyday presence in communities across the country," Vattimo said, "The Salvation Army is often among the first to provide assistance when disaster strikes."
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