The Salvation Army Ontario Division’s Emergency Disaster Services is Prepared to Provide Support Across the Province
When there’s a need for help during a flood, a tornado, an ice storm or even a warm cup of coffee to a homeless individual during the cold winter months, The Salvation Army Ontario Division’s Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) is there to give hope.
“Our team of over 500 highly trained, compassionate and empathetic EDS responders in Ontario are ready to be deployed to a local emergency within two hours,” said Dan Millar Divisional Director of Community Partnerships and Emergency Disaster Services. “We provide strategic support, training, resources and emotional and spiritual care to respond with compassion, as exemplified by Jesus Christ, to those affected by emergencies and disasters.”
The Salvation Army EDS’s response and recovery services covers an array of critical supports during traumatic times when a disaster occurs.
Emotional & Spiritual Care/Crisis Intervention
- External care for survivors & emergency workers
- Internal care for officers, staff & volunteers
- Funeral & memorial services
- Respects all faiths & beliefs
- Sometimes interfaith & multi-disciplinary
- Critical incident stress management trained personnel
Fixed Feeding
- Provides fresh & nutritious food
- Delivers hot & cold beverages
- Certified kitchens to support meal delivery
Mobile Feeding Sites
Community Response Units (CRUs) provide essential services such as food & hydration to survivors & emergency first responders.
- Mobile canteens
- Hot & cold beverages/meals
- Capacity to serve 1,000-1,500 meals per day
Disaster Shelter Services
- Provides shelter services in schools, churches, community buildings, Salvation Army facilities
- Essential food services
- Provides sleeping mats, bedding and clothing
Clean-up & Reconstruction
- Provides cleaning supplies & clean up kits
- Volunteer cleaning & rebuilding teams
- Enhanced warehousing capacity and seamless distribution of resources
Providing strategic emergency support throughout Canada’s fourth largest province in terms of landmass requires tactical planning to ensure resources are appropriately disbursed and ready to answer the call.
“The Salvation Army Ontario Division has 23 EDS vehicles or trailers in its fleet, strategically placed in the province from Windsor, Ottawa to Niagara and up to our northern communities in Sudbury and Thunder Bay,” said Millar. “We cover a large area in the province, and I’ve witnessed first-hand the different types of disasters, so being prepared is essential for rapid response from our dedicated EDS team. Disasters have no timeline; they can appear out of no where. Be ready for anything is the key piece of advice I always try and emphasize, because being ready can save lives.”
To register as an EDS volunteer visit
https://salvationarmy.ca/what-we-do/in-your-community/eds/
By: Billy Canning
