INTERNATIONAL NEWS Salvation Army in San Francisco offers support to passengers from crash-landing USA WESTERN AFTER the crash-landing of an Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 at San Francisco International Airport, The Salvation Army had a key supporting role in providing help to responders, survivors and affected families. Flight 214, en route from Seoul, suffered significant damage on impact. The incident killed three people and injured nearly 200. Salvation Army teams from around the Greater San Francisco area were called on to provide translation support and emotional care at the airport and at the hospitals where survivors were taken. The Army continued to support this effort in close co-ordination with the National Transportation Safety Board and local, state and federal authorities to determine how best to meet the needs of passengers and their families. Salvation Army volunteers also offered emotional support and provided Korean, Cantonese and Mandarin translation for ease in communication. This included accompanying passengers to hospital and optometry visits to help care for basic health needs, such as replacing prescription spectacles. ‘Serving as language support is a unique role for a Salvation Army Disaster Services team,’ explained Disaster Co-ordinator Major Wayne Froderberg. ‘However, the opportunity demonstrates our ability to provide compassion and aid in more than one language.’ The Salvation Army set up a special clothing room as part of a family assistance centre, created to help assess and meet the immediate needs of Flight 214 passengers. 14
Salvationist 27 July 2013
The clothing room allowed passengers to select items of clothing and basic essentials to provide comfort while they were housed in the Bay Area. The Salvation Army made arrangements to supply luggage for passengers to help manage their belongings. Clothing and items were also available for children and young people, in addition to toys and games to help ease the tension of the stressful situation. ‘New underwear, socks and hygiene kits are a luxury when you have lost everything,’ said Programme Co-ordinator Claire Dunmore. ‘What a privilege to be able to provide such basic supplies and know that comfort and relief has been given to so many families and children!’ Divisional Commander LieutColonel Stephen Smith called Salvationists and friends to prayer. ‘The Salvation Army is deeply saddened by this tragic event,’ he said. ‘Please continue to pray for everyone affected by this crash.’ For more updates on The Salvation Army’s response to the Asiana flight 214 crash, visit www.TSAGoldenState.org, w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / S a l v a t i o n A r m y S F or follow @SalvationArmySF on Twitter. – A. R.
Army provides assistance to flood victims in Alberta CANADA AND BERMUDA THE Salvation Army served 11,500 meals, supplied clean drinking water and provided emotional and spiritual support to more than 870 evacuees following severe flooding in Calgary, Alberta. The relief efforts centred on High River, where floodwaters were pumped away as residents returned to pick up the pieces of their lives. Food, hydration and a listening ear were welcome relief to the townsfolk. ‘The Salvation Army is exactly what we need,’ said High River resident Doreen, whose house was inundated and deemed unsafe, but which is ultimately reparable. In High River, The Salvation Army’s food bank, thrift store and office space suffered significant damage. The only salvageable items were metal clothing racks from the store. It is expected that it will be months before the facility can be reopened. In this community of 13,000, The Salvation Army provided the only food bank and family services. The Army felt it was
Salvationists sing and pray for Nelson Mandela SOUTHERN AFRICA OFFICERS sang and prayed outside the hospital in Pretoria, South Africa, where former president Nelson Mandela was being treated. The group – which included territorial leaders Commissioners William and Thalitha Langa – lifted up Nelson Mandela in prayer, with Chief Secretary Lieut-Colonel Robert Donaldson asking God to ‘bless the former president and his family’. The officers sang ‘In Thee O Lord Do I Put My Trust’ after laying flowers at the hospital gates. The Territorial Commander addressed a group of onlookers and media, explaining that The Salvation Army wanted to show its support for the Mandela family and to assure them of the prayers of Salvationists. He paid tribute to Mr Mandela’s struggle to bring freedom and peace to South Africa. The Chief Secretary called out to God in prayer, saying: ‘You have the future in your hands. You have the future of this nation in your hands.’ The officers then sang a traditional African hymn, before returning to a leaders conference in Johannesburg. – A. R.
critical to resume these services as soon as possible and placed a temporary trailer unit in its church car park to serve as a food and clothing distribution centre. A key role for the Army was to lend support on buses as residents toured their flood-hit neighbourhood, as well as at the rodeo grounds and airport as they registered to find out the condition of their homes. Numerous emotional and spiritual care personnel were deployed, who also roved streets to support residents as they cleaned out from the destruction. The Salvation Army met needs as they arose. At the request of the local authorities, a Community Response Unit was deployed to Exshaw, a hamlet 90 kilometres west of Calgary. For the next 10 days, lunch was provided to 60 evacuees and volunteers. President of the High River Downtown Business Association Linda Sojer expressed her sincere gratitude for the Army’s support during those difficult days. In Medicine Hat, 170 homes were evacuated and it is anticipated that 40 to 50 of them will be uninhabitable long-term. Salvation Army personnel at the evacuation centre arranged accommodation and provided clothing vouchers and gift cards. In Calgary, The Salvation Army’s Centre of Hope reopened after being flooded. Initially, the lift was inoperable, preventing some residents and staff from returning. Basement areas, which were damaged by the waters, underwent significant repairs. The Salvation Army was allowed access to its Thrift Store and Community and Family Services (food bank), which suffered extensive damage. Both properties required considerable cleaning and repair before services could resume. In Nanton, Salvation Army officers and volunteers provided food, hydration and emotional and spiritual care to more than 700 people a day. – A. R.