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EMERGENCY DISASTER SERVICES
Emergency Disaster Services aids and assists all personnel and centers of operation in planning and providing an efficient delivery of aid in the event of an emergency or disaster.
Utilizing nine (9) Emergency Canteens based throughout the Division, no community or area is more than an hour away from coverage. Through twenty-eight (28) Corps Community Centers, four (4) Adult Rehabilitation Centers and 53 Service Unit Committees, The Salvation Army's capabilities in this field are significant.
Food Service - Mobile, Congregate
Sheltering - Temporary, Transitional, Long-Term
Counseling - Grief, Trauma, Spiritual
Material Assistance
Casework Services/Service Delivery
Gifts in Kind Management
Volunteer Management
Incident Assessment
Public Information/Media Relations
Communications
Restoration
Salvation Army Restructures Emergency Disaster Program
in Rhode Island
The recent downturn in the economy has hit everyone hard and The Salvation Army is not immune. "We have felt the economic impact tremendously," says Major Doug Burr, Rhode Island State Coordinator.
In light of significant economic challenges and resulting budgetary restrictions, the decision has been made to sell their property on 34 Commercial Street in Cranston, which now houses their Emergency Disaster Program.
Along with the sale of that property, The Salvation Army will be restructuring its entire Emergency Disaster program. As a part of this restructuring, The Salvation Army is dissolving its relationship with The Special Signal Corps and its volunteers.
The Salvation Army in Rhode Island will continue its Emergency and Disaster relief work with the help of Salvation Army personnel and volunteers. It is The Salvation Army's desire that no break in service be noticeable as the canteen trucks are relocated to new facilities in the area.
Donations to support this vital ongoing work in Rhode Island are always welcomed and can be sent to The Salvation Army's State Office at 1515 Elmwood Avenue, Cranston, RI 02910.
For further information, please contact The Salvation Army Rhode Island State Coordinator, Major Doug Burr at 490-0240.
NATIONAL SALVATION ARMY HURRICANE PLAN
ALEXANDRIA, VA -With hurricane season officially underway, The Salvation Army has prepared for what most forecasters predict will be a summer and fall with an above-average number of tropical cyclones. The Army has taken several steps this year to strengthen and enhance its emergency readiness. This includes hosting training sessions and disaster response conferences, acquisition of new equipment and pre-positioning non-perishable food and supplies.
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AT&T PIONEERS DELIVER SOCKS AND SOAP!
HARTFORD - A group of AT&T PIONEERS - Morris F. Tyler Chapter came to visit Salvation Army Southern New England Divisional Headquarters on July 9th to make a donation of socks and personal hygiene products for the Emergency Disaster Program. The "Pioneers" have been gathering supplies all spring to make the trip to Hartford to deliver the "goods." Captain Terry Wood, Greater Hartford Area Coordinator and Lisa Goepfert Director of Social Services were on hand to greet them. The visitors were given a tour of the Emergency Services Canteen and they learned that all goods given from the emergency vehicle are free. Some items are from donors (like the socks and hygiene products) and some items are purchased with Salvation Army donor funds but no one is ever charged for materials that are given out at disasters and special events.
The retired pioneers have been big fans and supporters of the Army and made many donations to the programs over the years. They contributed dozens of hand made teddy bears to the Emergency Disaster program back in April and those teddy bears have already been handed out to children that "needed a friend when things weren't right." "Volunteers like this, and many generous people are what keep our programs operating. We thank the Pioneers for their support!" said Captain Wood.
MADD AND THE SALVATION ARMY JOIN FORCES
Pictured to the left: Mayor of Hartford, Eddie Perez, Salvation Army Divisional Secretary and Greater Hartford Area Coordinator, Captain Terry Wood and Connecticut State Comptroller, Nancy Wyman.
Pictured to the right: Captain Terry Wood, Donna Banks, Assistant to Brad Davis and Brad Davis, WDRC 1360 AM Radio Personality and host of the Brad Davis Radio Program. They are all showing their support at the M.A.D.D 5K Walk-A-Thon.
HARTFORD - "It happens every 30 minutes. Someone has too much to drink, gets behind the wheel and devastates another family." M.A.D.D. (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) held their 5K Walk-A-Thon Sunday morning June 8th in Hartford's Bushnell Park with the purpose to raise money and awareness to support MADD's life-saving mission to eliminate drunk driving, prevent underage drinking and support victims and their families. The Salvation Army - Emergency Disaster Services canteen was a participant also. The EDS canteen was parked at the start/finish line and served participants, workers and bystanders with water, lemonade and snacks to keep everyone energized. Brad Davis from WDRC Radio and Susan Rapp from WFSB TV were co-master's of ceremonies and kept the crowd entertained as they worked off their pledges for this worthwhile charity.
FIRST NIGHT HARTFORD!
EDS volunteers Eliza, Donna, Karen, "Amazing" Grace, Tom, Rose and David served 2417 cups of hot chocolate and coffee to First Night Hartford participants at the XL Center and Bushnell Park.
KATRINA UPDATE - TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY
The Largest Disaster Response Effort in The Salvation Army's History Provides Basic Needs for Survivors Including Food, Clothing, Houses and Jobs
The 2005 hurricane season, encompassing tropical cyclones Katrina, Rita, and Wilma, spurred The Salvation Army's largest natural disaster response effort in the United States in its 126 year history. More than $394 million was donated to the Army to assist in the effort. Following an initial response phase in which more than 1.7 million people were served, The Salvation Army continues to be active in recovery two years after the storms hit. The Army has not set an end date for its dedicated disaster services which provide for basic needs such as, food, clothing, housing and jobs.
During the response phase of the Katrina disaster operation, The Salvation Army focused on meeting immediate essential human needs of rescue workers and disaster survivors. Monies were used to support services such as the provision of food, clothing and shelter, distribution of in-kind goods and medical supplies, and emotional and spiritual care. During the response phase of the disaster operation:
- 1.7 million people were provided assistance
- 5.7 million hot meals were served
- 8.3 million sandwiches, snacks and drinks were provided
- 178 Canteens and 11 Field Kitchens were dispatched in the many areas affected
- 282,000 social service cases were registered
- More than 188,000 individuals received emotional and spiritual care
- Salvation Army disaster workers on the Gulf Coast logged more than 830,000 hours of service
- More than $84 million expended in the first three months of operations
The Salvation Army has provided case management and direct financial aid to storm victims in nearly every state in the USA; principal focus areas included the states of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, and major metropolitan areas such as Atlanta, Chicago, and New York. The Salvation Army considers the emergency response phase of the operation to be complete and is now focused on supporting long-term recovery.
Recovery Phase
During the recovery phase of the Katrina operation, which started in January 2006 and continues through the present, The Salvation Army is focusing on case management, reconstruction and support of volunteer rebuild teams. The Army has outlined a long-term plan for Louisiana and Mississippi, and is participating in the Katrina Aid Today program. The basic thrust of the program is to provide casework, logistical and financial support to other community nonprofit partners in cooperation with the local Long-Term Recovery or Unmet Needs Committees that are involved in efforts to repair or reconstruct client homes in those areas most affected by the storms. Through May 31, 2007, among other efforts, the program has:
- Opened a total of 220,000 cases for those in need
- Assisted 1.4 million people
- Provided funds for home repair or reconstruction, up to $10,000 per family, in coordination with other rebuild organizations
In addition, the Community Recovery Program has also made it possible to financially support larger projects that broadly benefit the community as a whole. For instance:
- $1.8 million was granted to Operation Blessing International to purchase medicine in support of their free medical clinic in Slidell, La.
- Another $1 million has been granted to a partnership of agencies for the "100 Homes in 100 Days" program in Pascagoula, Miss.
Overall, about 46 percent of the total $150 million allocated to the Community Recovery Program has been spent so far.
Katrina Aid Today
The Salvation Army is one of nine case management organizations participating in the Katrina Aid Today (KAT) program. KAT is a project of the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), the humanitarian and relief and development agency of the United Methodist Church, sponsored by the United Stated Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). KAT is a national case management consortium of social service and voluntary organizations dedicated to helping survivors rebuild lives.
National Financial Summary
To date, the public has donated to The Salvation Army approximately $394.4 million for 2005 hurricane relief; to date, The Salvation Army has spent more than $239.6 million providing emergency assistance during the response and recovery phases of the event.
Additional committed funds include another $121 million for the elements of The Salvation Army's long-term plans in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma and the KAT program. Salvation Army disaster recovery programs are ongoing in several states. Remaining monies will continue to support disaster and long-term recovery efforts and a cessation date has not been set.
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EDS GOES HOLLYWOOD IN BRIDGEPORT
BRIDGEPORT, CT – The Salvation Army Southern New England Emergency Disaster Services Canteen was on the scene (or more correctly behind the scene) at the recent filming of ABC’s Extreme Makeover – Home Edition TV show called “The Brown Family Home Project” to be broadcast Sunday, October 14 at 8:00 P.M.
ABC-TV’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition show features a race against time on a construction project that would ordinarily take at least four months. Over 4,000 people - designers, contractors, laborers and volunteers, including The Salvation Army EDS Canteen, all worked on the project. The crew has just seven days (106 hours for the actual construction) to rebuild an entire house – including interior, exterior and landscaping. “The Brown Family” home project is located in the East End neighborhood of Bridgeport. During the week, the new Salvation Army - Bridgeport Emergency Disaster Services Canteen, which was purchased with funds donated through the generosity of the Henry E. Niles Foundation, was at the scene for the full week.
The vehicle was staffed with a four person volunteer crew for 12 hour shifts and the volunteers provided cold drinks and snacks throughout the day. A “late night meal” which occurred around 2:00 AM every morning was also served. When frequent EDS volunteers Debbie and Richard Testa were there, they also provided massages. Needless to say, there were some workers more in need of a rub down than a cold drink.
The Salvation Army offers help. . . comfort. . . hope.
For information or to volunteer,
contact The Salvation Army and ask for the
Emergency Disaster Services Director - Captain Richard Starkey
(860) 543-8400.