January 12, 2020, marks 10 years since Haiti was devastated by an earthquake, killing more than 230,000 people and injuring 300,000. Since then, The Salvation Army has worked alongside Haitians helping to strengthen and rebuild their communities. “People were running, crying and screaming,” says Natasha, recalling the horror of that day. “As clouds of dust  […]

TORONTO, ON (January 4, 2020) Massive bushfires in Australia continue to spread as heat, high winds, and dry weather are pushing flames through much of the southeastern part of the country. As the crisis enters its fourth month, Salvation Army volunteers continue to provide emotional, spiritual and material support to firefighters, volunteers and evacuees. “As  […]

In September 2019, The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda developed a new emergency disaster services (EDS) team to serve the territory in times of need better. The Territorial Rapid Emergency Assistance Team (TREAT) consists of 20 experienced EDS personnel, from coast to coast, who can deploy quickly following a crisis. “The purpose of TREAT  […]

Since the 1917 Halifax Explosion, The Salvation Army’s emergency disaster services (EDS) in Canada have responded to incidents of various sizes and scopes. Today, they play a critical role in all aspects of the emergency management continuum: mitigation/prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. Response to Flooding in Three Provinces In April 2019, communities across Ontario, Quebec  […]

“Disaster risk reduction has become a hot topic in emergency management circles in recent years,” says Perron Goodyear, director of emergency disaster services for The Salvation Army’s Canada and Bermuda Territory. “In the past, the focus for emergency management professionals was mostly on response to incidents followed, out of necessity, by long-term recovery. Recently, however,  […]

More than two weeks after Hurricane Dorian delivered devastating blows to two of the major islands in the Bahamas, The Salvation Army’s relief efforts have expanded to help with the growing need. Working closely with the Bahamian government, The Salvation Army is providing support that includes supplies and emotional and spiritual care. The Salvation Army  […]

The Salvation Army’s response to Hurricane Dorian continues. As it leaves the Bahamas behind, the true scale of the destruction is becoming clear. Atlantic Canada is preparing for its arrival and Salvation Army emergency disaster services are ready for deployment. Bahamas In Nassau, Salvation Army divisional leaders, Majors Clarence and Karen Ingram, and their staff  […]

Often, the most visible Salvation Army emergency disaster services (EDS) are the meals and drinks served to survivors and first responders. What some people may not know is that The Salvation Army is often called on to provide spiritual comfort and emotional support. “As trained emotional and spiritual care (ESC) workers, we attend to the  […]

Many cities in Canada are experiencing extreme heat and according to Health Canada, the number of annual days with scorching hot temperatures is expected to double within the next 30 years. “Keeping cool and hydrated during extreme heat is vital,” says Debbie Clarke, who is the director of The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services in  […]