In times of need
It’s often said that The Salvation Army has a ministry of “presence” – of being there in times of need. With the Hunter River prone to flood, The Salvation Army has provided emergency support throughout the decades, with the earliest record of assistance being given during the 1895 flood when Garth R Hentzschel’s book With a Smile and a Cuppa records The Salvation Army barracks being used to house and feed those stranded by the floodwaters. The Salvation Army history book, Booth’s Drum, The Salvation Army in Australia 1880-1890, says that in the 1949 floods officers and soldier waded through waist-high, icy-cold water to rescue stranded families. People were housed in the Army hall and quarters and clothing was distributed. Soldiers took over the corps (church) meetings to allow the officers to concentrate on relief work. Coppers of hot soup were kept simmering at the Maitland Salvation Army quarters for delivery to the homes of people busy in the clean-up operation. The most recent incident Maitland Salvation Army Emergency Services crews responded to was in response to the Hunter Valley storms in April which destroyed buildings and caused flooding in many Hunter Valley communities.
