• Christie Sutton

Igor's Fury Still Being Felt

Newfoundland, Canada - Tuesday September 21st, 2010will be a date that not many Newfoundlanders will ever forget.Authorities have described Hurricane Igor as “the worst storm to ever hit Newfoundland and Labrador.” More than 30 towns declared a state of emergency, 16 towns were isolated as a result of flooding, and more than 60,000 people were left without electricity.

Newfoundland, September 21 – 25, 2010– The Salvation Army responded on several fronts and Emergency Disaster Services personnel were placed on alert to respond to the needs of those impacted by Igor.

Clarenville…The Salvation Army provided meals to more than 150 people at two locations in the town of Clarenville.

Bonavista…The local Salvation Army Emergency Plan was activated, and the church kitchen was opened to provide meals for people in the Bonavista area.

St. John’s…Emergency Disaster Services personnel provided snacks and cots/blankets to 11 people who had to be removed from an apartment building in the east end of St. John’s. Over 150 individuals from a neighborhood without power were served a hot supper and 5 teams were dispersed to feed the cleanup crews throughout the city. The Community Response Unit served food to municipal workers as well as people who live in certain parts of the city still without electricity.

Gambo…The Salvation Army church kitchen provided meals for evacuees and town emergency responders.

Fairbanks…A Salvation Army Mobile Response Vehicle was dispatched to Fairbanks to provide meals in that area.

Major Donette Percy of The Salvation Army’s Community & Family Services Department was invited to consult with the Emergency Operations Committee to develop food lists in order to determine amounts to be shipped to isolated communities around the Bonavista Peninsula.

Major Lyndon Hale, left Grand Bank with two trailers of food. The convoy stopped in every community from Point May to Lord’s Cove to give people an opportunity to pick up food.

Two tractor trailerswere loaded and sent to Clarenville. A ship was loaded and left shortly after midnight. Salvation Army personnel as well as a police officer, a HRLE employee were flown from Clarenville to Bonavista to join the ship there. The Salvation Army personnel are on hand as the supplies are being unloaded and providing HOPE in a difficult situation.

Major Gloria Pond of Clarenville was asked to purchase and put together supplies for two communities not accessible by sea. Volunteers were recruited from other churches as well as The Salvation Army to help. These supplies have been airlifted to the affected communities. Major Pond has been asked to accompany the airlift and assist in the distribution of the supplies.

There also is an organized approach to allow impacted people access to more supplies from The Salvation Army Thrift Store in Clarenville.

The Salvation Army was asked to put together a Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) team to go to Random Island to work with those involved in the death of the individual who lost his life in the Hurricane. They were airlifted to Hickman’s Harbour where they conducted counseling sessions within the community. Salvation Army personnel stayed in the community to determine the needs and possibly help with those who were experiencing stress as a result to the critical incidents in recent days.

The Salvation ArmyEmergency Disaster Services Director for Newfoundland and Labrador, Mr. Aubrey Vincent, reports that “the Mobile Community Response Vehicles and their teams are still on stand-by, and Salvation Army emergency shelters and personnel across the island are continuing to respond as needed.”

To date,The Salvation Army has served over 1,500 meals and delivered 200 emergency food hampers.

The Salvation Army remains in contact with government agencies, determining need and response.