Salvation Army volunteers lead simulated disaster training ahead of Minden flooding deployment

Salvation Army volunteers took part in a mock tornado response exercise at the Jackson's Point retreat, with some getting deployed to the Minden flooding.

Salvation Army Jackson’s Point Retreat & Conference Centre held a simulated disaster response training exercise to prepare volunteers for the worst of emergencies, including the flooding in Minden.

Nearly 50 volunteers and staff from across Ontario practiced responding to a mock tornado at a music festival.

“Our opportunity in this organization is to provide support to folks that are in the middle of the worst day of their life... or one of the worst days of their lives,” said Adam Marshall, Salvation Army Divisional Director of Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) for Ontario. “Your typical response will include reception management or reception centre support, it’ll include food services and food delivery, it’ll include emotional and spiritual care.”

Sunday’s group was split up into four teams. Each were tasked with adapting to scenarios that were thrown at them by emergency management university students.

Among the volunteers was Doug Leach from Peterborough, who was deployed for Hurricane Katrina and the September 11, 2001 attacks.

“You witness a lot of people who have lost lots or everything,” said Leach. “I think it’s part of our culture to help people too. Help our neighbours.”

Taylor Simmons, EDS Public Information Officer, helped in the response to the Newfoundland wildfires last summer.

“Keeping on top of training throughout the year really provides our volunteers and staff the experience to bring that training into a real-world scenario,” said Simmons

With the ongoing flooding in Minden and across Central Ontario, Simmonds and Gordon Deavy, a longtime Ottawa-based volunteer, are among those getting the call to help at the municipality’s reception centre.

“That’ll include registering evacuees as they’re coming in, making sure that the reception centre’s up and running, providing spaces for individuals to sleep,” explained Simmons.

“I’m going there to do whatever they need to do. Whatever the Salvation Army asks,” said Deavy

Up to eight volunteers are getting deployed to the flooding in Minden to begin the week.

The Salvation Army says it will continue coordinating with impacted municipalities and the province’s emergency operations centre to determine whether more resources are needed.