SAES providing ‘non-anxious presence’ as cyclone conditions intensify
The Salvation Army is currently providing meals and refreshments to first responders and evacuees in nine centres from the Sunshine Coast to northern New South Wales, and this number is likely to grow as Cyclone Alfred develops.
These evacuation centres are being managed by local and state governments, with The Salvation Army partnering with multiple other agencies to deliver wholistic services and pastoral care, while creating safe spaces for those in the cyclone’s way.
The safety of Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES) personnel is a priority. Teams are being deployed in accordance with government instructions and emergency protocols, which ensures they are not placed at undue risk.
The SAES is doing their best to ensure essential supplies such as food and water are on hand should personnel need to be removed for safety reasons.
Auxiliary-Lieutenant Tim Clark, Caloundra Corps Officer on the Sunshine Coast (Qld) is also a volunteer with Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES). Yesterday afternoon, he spoke with members of the Salvos Online team about the preparations for Cyclone Alfred in the Caloundra region.
What kinds of preparation are happening there at the moment?
The Sunshine Coast Council has three refuge centres across the Coast, one at Landsborough, one at Nambour Showgrounds and one at the Caloundra Indoor Stadium, and we are looking after the catering for Nambour and Caloundra. At the Caloundra Indoor Stadium, we have two guys – Rob Smith and Sean Kelly – who have been making food for those coming in from the community. People are also coming there to get sandbags.
Can you describe the atmosphere that you’ve seen in the community?
There’s a lot of anxiety. I think because it’s been dragging out so long, a lot of the homeless guys that we connect with all left a day or two ago because originally, it was supposed to hit pretty much now. Anyone who could go somewhere either north or west already has. It’s the ones without vehicles or tents who are really stuck. Other people have tried to find shelter with family and friends. In a way, there’s a bit of an advantage that it’s been delayed for those people who are still trying to figure out what they’re going to do.
We did have a young couple who came into the corps on Tuesday and my wife (Auxiliary-Lieutenant Karen Clark) was helping them. They’re in their early 20s, and they’ve got a young child. They were recently homeless and living in their car, which had been in an accident, so they couldn’t keep living in it. They did have family, but the family had had enough of them and sent them on their way, which I thought was a bit hard with the cyclone bearing down. So, we paid for them to stay in the hotel on Tuesday night, and then, since they wanted to go north, we connected them with Captain Matt Gluyas at Noosa/Coolum Corps and then the Sunshine Coast Homelessness team, who have put them in a motel and given them a few options going forward. That’s a happy ending because you don’t want young families waiting in the car while the cyclone comes.
So, do you have teams waiting on standby?
Yes, at Nambour Showground they already have about 40 people on standby, and here in Caloundra there are about 12 to 15 currently. They are partnering with other organisations, including the Everyday Foundation, who brought in dinner. We’re doing all this in collaboration with the Sunshine Coast Council, and in Caloundra there is another organisation bringing meals to the stadium. There are lots of organisations that pitch in and help around here with food.
What is it that The Salvation Army can offer when people are frightened, and when the cyclone hits?
Just being a non-anxious presence in the space because when there’s a lot of people who are stressed, they don’t want you also to share your stress with them. It is a good demonstration of who we are as a Salvation Army when our faith is expressed in these times.
Read more: Salvos launch Cyclone Alfred Appeal
On the Gold Coast today, Salvos Online journalist SIMONE WORTHING visited Runaway Bay Indoor Stadium, where the SAES team is providing meals, food and support. With many in the region having already lost power and with a high risk of flooding, evacuated residents are congregating at the centre, some already having escaped damaged homes. Simone chatted with SAES volunteers John and Michelle Ault, who are serving evacuees hot drinks.
John and Michelle, what’s it like for you to volunteer at the evacuation centre at Runaway Bay?
John: We quite enjoy it. It’s good to see people, even when they’re in hard situations and they’re not at home in their beds. Quite often we end up on the front counter because we like talking to people and keeping a happy face, keeping people’s spirits up – and so we can overdose on coffee ourselves!
What sense are you getting from the people who are here? How are people feeling about what’s coming?
John: It depends on the people a lot. Some people, I think if they’ve been flooded out, are very upset. But there’s also some people here because they’re scared they'll be flooded out. They’ve left early and they obviously are a little bit more positive. So, you get a wide variety.
Michelle: Of the people I’ve spoken to, one lady has already lost the roof on her house, and one lady was flooded out. So, there are already things happening, and we haven’t even hit the cyclone part yet.
