With peak storm season right around the corner and an abnormally active 2021 hurricane season prediction, The Salvation Army is having to prepare for battling disasters.
Before a disaster strikes, The Salvation Army needs a team of trained volunteers on standby ready to respond to an emergency. The Salvation Army’s disaster training program offers a variety of courses designed to help individuals and communities prepare for emergency events and become trained disaster volunteers.
The first step in becoming a disaster worker with The Salvation Army's Emergency Disaster Services program is to create an online profile and complete a simple application. Those interested in becoming a disaster volunteer can begin the application process by going to disaster.salvationarmyusa.org/volunteer/new. After completing the online application, your information will be shared with The Salvation Army of Northeast Florida.
“The Salvation Army’s success today is dependent on the army of volunteers standing with us to provide relief assistance immediately to those impacted by disasters,” said Major Keath Biggers, area commander for The Salvation Army
During each emergency, The Salvation Army focuses on providing seven core services. These
services may be modified based on the magnitude of the disaster and adapted to meet the specific needs of individual survivors. The Salvation Army core services are training, food service, emotional and spiritual care, emergency communications, disaster social services, donations management and recovery.
“Disaster volunteers respond to a range of local disasters, including house fires, wildfires, tornados, man-made disasters, transportation accidents, civil unrest situations and terrorist attacks,” said Larry Huff, Director of Operations. “Officers, staff and volunteers provide beverages, meals and emotional and spiritual care to first responders and survivors and bring hope and healing to people in need. There are opportunities to serve on local teams as well as statewide or even nationally.”
For questions and more information about our local disaster services and becoming a disaster volunteer, contact Larry Huff, director of operations, at larry.huffjr@uss.salvationarmy.org or 904-301-4844.
