In times of need

It’s often said that The Salvation Army has a ministry of “presence” – of being there in times of need.

When floodwaters engulfed Warwick in December 2010, The Salvation Army Emergency Services team swung into action, manning an evacuation centre at Slade School. Warwick officer at the time, Captain Cathryn Williamson, went out to purchase supplies for dinner and breakfast the next day and found herself trapped on the wrong side of the swollen river. By this stage the numbers of people at the evacuation centre had more than quadrupled and food was in short supply. Securing a lift with the local State Emergency Services flood boat, Cathryn loaded the supplies into the boat, got in and they headed across the fast-flowing water. When the motor cut out they found themselves in a dangerous situation, but managed to get safely across.

While on the boat, I don’t remember being scared at all. It was only afterwards and particularly that night, I went over and over what had happened and realised how easily something could have gone horribly wrong, she remembers.

The Salvation Army served hundreds of meals and refreshments during the 2010-11 floods, to those affected and stranded, and also to the emergency services personnel involved in the disaster response and clean-up effort.