Bequest bolsters Salvation Army Emergency Services
Bequest bolsters Salvation Army Emergency Services
1 December 2017
A generous bequest will supply The Salvation Army Emergency Services with new equipment. Photo: Adam Hollingworth
A generous bequest of more than $1 million to The Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES) will allow the service to purchase new equipment and upgrade aging trailers.
SAES Director, Norm Archer, says the money will be spent buying 60 new trailers, to be placed in corps across the Australia Eastern Territory. It will also allow for 15 aging trailers to be upgraded and for new uniforms to be distributed to more than 1000 volunteers across NSW, Queensland and the ACT. A new catering truck will also be purchased.
“This will allow us to have our equipment strategically placed throughout the territory to respond to emergencies, disasters and be used for community support and engagement,” Norm says.
“Having a SAES trailer is not only a great way to engage the community through volunteering and being visible at community events, it provides a great resource to benefit both the corps and the community.”
Heading into the Christmas season, Norm and his team have been preparing for potential bushfires, cyclones and floods. “For NSW it’s forecast to be a ‘normal’ year,” he says. “but if things dry out over summer then early next year could be interesting.
“Queensland has been forecast the standard number of cyclones, but it only takes one to cross the coast for a disaster to be caused.”
Speaking at a Wills and Bequests luncheon, Norm said up-to-date equipment was essential to supporting the community in times of crisis. “The equipment is essential for us to do what we do and meet people at their time of need.
“Because it’s not just about feeding people, as much as that is what we do, but in that process, it’s really giving hope and letting people know that we care about what’s happening to them.”
He told a story about a volunteer handing out water after the 2010-11 Queensland floods in Brisbane. The volunteer team were ankle deep in mud, going door-to-door to affected households when a man rushed out of his house to give the volunteer a hug.
“I don’t think it was the water that he was giving him a hug for. It was the fact that he was there, caring about him.”
Corps interested in having an emergency services trailer, or having their existing trailer refurbished, should contact the SAES at saes@aue.salvationarmy.org
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