April 18, 2022 at 1:46 p.m.
Salvation Army to base disaster response units in Rhinelander
Salvation Army to base disaster response units in Rhinelander
Benny Benedict, director of emergency response for the Wisconsin and Upper Peninsula of Michigan division of the Salvation Army, made the announcement at an Emergency Preparedness Open House held at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Rhinelander.
"This just went into production a couple days ago," Benedict said. "It's going to be here to serve this area (Oneida and Vilas counties). It can be called up by fire, police, emergency management."
The units, which are expected to arrive in about three months, consist of a pickup truck converted to a canteen or rapid response vehicle that is capable of heating and serving already prepared meals and beverages at a disaster scene. The second unit is a kitchen trailer that can be used to prepare meals as well as serve them, and is self-contained. This means the two can be used together or at two separate locations at the same time.
Benedict shared with the audience accounts of some of the disaster deployments he's been sent on with the Salvation Army. He noted that sometimes all it takes for a volunteer to connect with a disaster victim is a bottle of water or cup of coffee.
The Salvation Army sends chaplains to provide spiritual comfort for victims, but "proselytizing is not the priority," he explained. The goal is to ensure everyone's physical and emotional needs are being met.
The Salvation Army responds to smaller local disasters as well as regional and national events, he added. He said climate change and the growth of our cities and towns have worked together to make disasters worse than they were 40 or 50 years ago.
"We've made ourselves bigger targets, neighborhoods are getting larger. Twenty or 30 years from now, Rhinelander may be even bigger," he said.
In addition to Benedict, Oneida County Emergency Management Director Jake Simkins, his Vilas County counterpart Sherri Congleton, and Amanda Jahn, a service representative from Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services covering Vilas, Oneida, Forest, Florence, Langlade, and Lincoln counties, were on hand to answer questions.
Jamie Taylor may be reached via email at [email protected].
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