Flood Relief Continues in High River, Alberta

It is now more than a month since The Salvation Army provided initial assistance to people being evacuated in High River, Alberta, due to the rising flood waters. With that first call to feed 100 evacuees on June 20, we mobilized two emergency disaster services workers and the Calgary Community Response Unit. Since then, we have had up to eight community response units and hundreds of personnel and volunteers responding in Canmore, Morley, Exshaw, Drumheller, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Calgary, High River, Blackie, Nanton, Okotoks and Siksika Nation.

Although in many areas life has returned to “normal” for those affected by the floods, many still continue to experience significant challenges. In High River over 90 percent of the community of 12,500 have been directly affected by the floods and The Salvation Army Disaster Assistance Centre has now been open for two weeks. We have set up trailers and c-can storage containers on the parking lot of The Salvation Army Community Church while the repairs to the church building, thrift store and Community & Family Services (food bank) continue.

In the past two weeks, 1,101 households have registered for assistance, which has included a food hamper, clothing items, gift card and furniture vouchers, as well as other miscellaneous items such as work gloves, diapers and cleaning supplies. A community response unit remains on site and is serving on average 70 hot meals per day and providing 120 people with snacks and hydration.