The Salvation Army is an integral member of the community of disaster service organizations.
We are active in:
- Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD) and National VOAD
- Local, state, regional emergency management organizations
- Local, state, regional planning and service organizations
The Salvation Army has executed reciprocal service agreements with:
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- American Radio Relay League (ARRL)
- American Red Cross
- Civil Air Patrol
- Radio Emergency Associated Citizens Teams, International (REACT)
Salvation Army disaster response teams, coordinated and directed by commissioned officers and trained personnel, supported by volunteers, are "on call" to serve at all disasters and civil disorders that place a community or its people at risk or which may disrupt or destroy family security or well-being.
These include localized and wide-spread disasters. The Salvation Army is there to provide timely and practical services.
While each disaster or civil disorder is unique and devastating in its own violent impact on the lives of individuals and communities, there are certain basic needs to which The Salvation Army responds.
Spiritual Ministry - counseling and praying with victims, consoling the injured and distressed, comforting the bereaved, conducting funeral and memorial services and providing chaplaincy services to staff and volunteers
Mobile and Congregate Feeding - preparing and serving hot meals to victims and relief workers, whether on site through mobile canteens, equipped for meal preparation on a limited scale, or at Salvation Army buildings or other facilities equipped with larger kitchens
Shelter - providing shelter facilites, whether in Salvation Army buildings or other sites. Some shelter programs may include child care to allow adult family members to salvage personal effects, apply for assistance, schedule reconstruction and tend to other necessary tasks.
Donated Materials - distributing resources such as water, non-perishable food, furniture, house-keeping supplies, hygiene items, baby supplies, clothing and other items provided to The Salvation Army through generous donations from neighboring citizens
Basic Commodities - The Salvation Army warehouses some basic items for disaster responses and may also purchase these types of things at the time of an initial disaster response when such items aren't readily available where needed. Such items may include food, water, health and sanitation products, baby items, medicines, bedding and other things to meet immediate needs until donations catch up with the need
Identification/Registration - locating victims and providing information and communication to inquiring family and friends
Financial Assistance - offering grants to victims to help meet immediate needs without requiring or seeking repayment
Advocacy - working with victims and in cooperation with other private and public assistance providers to help people access the services they need
Services to Volunteers - particularly during disaster responses and at some other times, The Salvation Army provides various services to its registered volunteers as needed, such as housing or shelter, meals, and support services such as transportation to and from work sites
Reconstruction - in major disasters, The Salvation Army assists with coordination of reconstruction efforts. This may take various forms, depending on the situation, such as establishing a depot for distributing donated building supplies, setting up a financial aid office, offering support programs such as child care, after-school programs, recreation activities, individual and family counseling, and any other type of program designed to assist residents in the process of rebuilding their community.
Whether it be a local incident or a major disaster, Salvation Army staff and volunteers are often the first on the scene and the last to depart... honoring a century-old commitment to serve those in need at the place of need. The red shield continues to be a beacon of compassion, providing immediate aid, psychological support and spiritual counsel to individuals and families whose lives have been disrupted or shattered by forces beyond their control.
The most immediate examples of this locally, of course, involve The Salvation Army's response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Some of the pages in this section detail specific relief and recovery efforts in the Beaumont area relating to these disasters. The following downloads also show some of The Salvation Army's work locally in response to Katrina and Rita.