Clean-Up Kits Give Wildfire Evacuees a Path to Recovery
After a summer with many devastating wildfires along Canada’s east coast, many evacuees are now returning to their homes, hoping to see minimal damage and getting ready to clean up their houses and roads from debris left by the fires.
To help residents get a head start on their recovery efforts, The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) has been distributing clean-up kitsto those affected.
Alan O’Neil, from Bridgetown, N.S., returned home recently after being forced to evacuate for 37 days. The wildfires destroyed over 120 houses in his community and some of his neighbours lost everything.
“When I came back, I was relieved to see that I still had a house,” Alan shares.
Although he feels fortunate to have a roof over his head, Alan admits that he has worked hard every day since returning to get everything back in order.
“The clean-up kit I got from The Salvation Army was really good.”
He has cleaned his refrigerators and freezers, which were damaged and filled with spoiled items. Smoke damage and soot around the house have required extensive scrubbing.
“The clean-up kit I got from The Salvation Army was really good. It had everything I needed to clean things up,” Alan says.
The kits include brooms, gloves, masks, garbage bags, disinfectants, sponges and cleaning products.
Right now, Alan is focused on adding some renovations to his house. He works on his home every day and admits that his experience might have been smoother than others. Despite the hardships experienced recently, he feels calm and is prepared to get everything back on track patiently.
“What The Salvation Army did for us was very helpful.”
“I think families with children have a lot more to worry about. But for me, I live alone, I can work at it slowly,” Alan adds.
Looking back at the response efforts, Alan is grateful for The Salvation Army’s support.
“I appreciate everything they gave us. I can’t speak for everyone, but I was quite pleased with the kits. What The Salvation Army did for us was very helpful.”
By Juan Romero
