Local Salvation Army Receives Disaster Services Canteen
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Staff Report-
“We are very excited about the opportunity to support local emergency response entities and help provide services in times of disaster. Our goal is to provide material comfort, physical comfort, spiritual and emotional comfort to both survivors and first responders. It will take some time to implement a good working response system but we will get there,” Lt. Esteban Pommier, commanding officer for The Salvation Army of Kosciusko County, said.
“As a board, we stand behind The Salvation Army's efforts to provide much needed relief in times of disaster. We are currently working on developing a strategic plan which includes volunteer training for disaster preparedness,” said Alan Alderfer, board chairperson.
Ken Locke, community ministries director for The Salvation Army, and James Bausch, real estate agent with RE/MAX and volunteer for the organization, will lead the local canteen efforts, according to a provided press release..
Pommier said the emergency disaster services of The Salvation Army will focus its future efforts in the following areas:
• Emergency Preparedness: As one of the nation's major emergency relief organizations, The Salvation Army recognizes the critical importance of being prepared for natural and man-made disasters, the release states. Therefore, the Army takes steps to ensure its own ability to respond quickly and efficiently to a disaster while also working to educate other disaster professionals and the public at large about how to prepare for and respond to an emergency situation.
• Immediate Emergency Response: The Salvation Army provides numerous disaster relief services. Each disaster creates its own unique circumstances and the Army's response therefore varies from place to place based upon the community's situation and the magnitude of the disaster.
• Spiritual and Emotional Care: Throughout the duration and aftermath of a major disaster, The Salvation Army provides spiritual comfort and emotional support upon request to victims and emergency workers coping with the stress of a catastrophe. Salvation Army counselors, who are often ordained as clergy (officers), may simply offer a “ministry of presence,” but often people who know about The Salvation Army as representatives of God may ask for prayer or help from the Bible, the release states.
Other activities may include comforting the injured and bereaved, conducting funeral and memorial services or providing chaplaincy service to disaster workers and emergency management personnel. Disaster relief and recovery services are provided to all in need without discrimination.
For more information on the programs and services The Salvation Army provides in Kosciusko County, visit www.sawarsaw.org[[In-content Ad]]
“We are very excited about the opportunity to support local emergency response entities and help provide services in times of disaster. Our goal is to provide material comfort, physical comfort, spiritual and emotional comfort to both survivors and first responders. It will take some time to implement a good working response system but we will get there,” Lt. Esteban Pommier, commanding officer for The Salvation Army of Kosciusko County, said.
“As a board, we stand behind The Salvation Army's efforts to provide much needed relief in times of disaster. We are currently working on developing a strategic plan which includes volunteer training for disaster preparedness,” said Alan Alderfer, board chairperson.
Ken Locke, community ministries director for The Salvation Army, and James Bausch, real estate agent with RE/MAX and volunteer for the organization, will lead the local canteen efforts, according to a provided press release..
Pommier said the emergency disaster services of The Salvation Army will focus its future efforts in the following areas:
• Emergency Preparedness: As one of the nation's major emergency relief organizations, The Salvation Army recognizes the critical importance of being prepared for natural and man-made disasters, the release states. Therefore, the Army takes steps to ensure its own ability to respond quickly and efficiently to a disaster while also working to educate other disaster professionals and the public at large about how to prepare for and respond to an emergency situation.
• Immediate Emergency Response: The Salvation Army provides numerous disaster relief services. Each disaster creates its own unique circumstances and the Army's response therefore varies from place to place based upon the community's situation and the magnitude of the disaster.
• Spiritual and Emotional Care: Throughout the duration and aftermath of a major disaster, The Salvation Army provides spiritual comfort and emotional support upon request to victims and emergency workers coping with the stress of a catastrophe. Salvation Army counselors, who are often ordained as clergy (officers), may simply offer a “ministry of presence,” but often people who know about The Salvation Army as representatives of God may ask for prayer or help from the Bible, the release states.
Other activities may include comforting the injured and bereaved, conducting funeral and memorial services or providing chaplaincy service to disaster workers and emergency management personnel. Disaster relief and recovery services are provided to all in need without discrimination.
For more information on the programs and services The Salvation Army provides in Kosciusko County, visit www.sawarsaw.org[[In-content Ad]]
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