Flood of volunteer support wins the day
Flood of volunteer support wins the day
2 November 2022
Hail the volunteers ... Salvos were out in force during the flood crisis, pitching in to help feed evacuees and emergency workers and to deliver supplies to flood-impacted residents.
They say adversity brings out the best in people, and this was clearly evident during the recent flood disaster that hit vast regions of NSW, Victoria and Tasmania.
The human chain that quickly formed to unload one of the helicopters that flew into Shepparton with supplies.
The Salvos rely heavily on its army of volunteers during any emergency, with dozens of Red Shield t-shirts dominating evacuation centres, mobile catering units or areas where donations are pouring in.
It was during a visit to the flood-affected region around Shepparton in northern Victoria that Major Warren Elliott, Public Relations Secretary for Victoria, noticed a new trend.
“We had our Salvos out and about, but there were members of the general public helping out our Salvo workers as well. More than I’ve ever seen. It was so heart-warming,” he said.
“At one stage, a helicopter landed full of supplies, and a human chain formed to unload these supplies ... all sorts of people came from everywhere to help. There was this amazing sense of community, everyone wanting to lend a hand.
“After a while, I was thinking we’d better feed these people and all of a sudden, a local resident came up with a plate of sausages they had cooked and offered them around.”
Floods impacted areas of northern Tasmania and Central West/Southern NSW, but the main focus of the flood disaster was on northern Victoria, where Shepparton and Echuca were hit hard.
Captain Ronald Stobie, Maryborough Corps officer, delivered 50 sleeping bags and blankets with Tracey Dillon (Njernda CEO), Robert Nugent (Director, Corporate Services) and Aunty Hazel Hudson (Executive Director, Family Services) in Echuca.
At the height of the disaster, The Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES) had teams assisting at eight centres: Creswick, Bendigo, Seymour, Echuca, Tatura and Shepparton in Victoria; Moama and Wagga Wagga in NSW. As the floods peaked, the Salvos were in 22 evacuation centres across NSW, Victoria and Tasmania.
Auxiliary-Lieutenant Sonia Edwards led her team of Salvo workers in the Echuca-Moama area, providing meals and refreshments to evacuees and first responders, while Captain Karyn Wishart oversaw volunteer operations in the Shepparton area.
The government provided helicopters for The Salvation Army’s use, which was vital to get supplies into flood-impacted areas after roads cut off main supply routes.
Salvos workers worked around the clock to load food and supplies onto helicopters in Bendigo, and these were flown to Shepparton and Echuca, where another army of volunteers was on hand to unload and distribute these supplies.
“It was a huge team effort,” Warren said. “We’ve said this before, but it’s so true ... The Salvation Army couldn’t do what it does without our volunteers. They’re a special bunch.”
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