Bushfires - The Salvation Army response thus far in Tasmania

The Salvation Army have been active across South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania in recent days, assisting in the ongoing response to the devastation caused by fire in those states. Much of the focus, of course, is on Tasmania. Today, the following statement has been released by The Salvation Army' Hobart Headquarters:

In response to the bushfires affecting Tasmania and other communities across the country, The Salvation Army has launched the Disaster Relief Fund to assist affected people to cope with the significant loss sustained due to these fires and further fires that may follow during the next few weeks of extreme fire danger.

The Salvation Army is currently on the ground in Tasmania, working across three emergency response sites providing financial and emotional support to people evacuating homes caught in the fires. In the coming days, The Salvation Army will assist several thousand people with food, financial assistance, clothing and counselling. To date, The Salvation Army has provided approximately 4,500 meals to those affected by the bushfires. Salvos Stores in Tasmania are also providing goods at no charge to people affected.

“Many people have had to evacuate their homes and didn’t get the chance to take anything with them. By providing emergency financial assistance, we are able to assist them to purchase personal items that they need immediately,” said Captain Craig Wood, Divisional Communications and Fundraising Secretary for The Salvation Army Tasmania.

“We will continue to support communities affected for the long-term as experience tells us the recovery from such disaster can stretch over many months, and for some it may take much longer,” he said.

The Salvation Army is also actively involved in the emergency response to bushfires affecting Victoria and South Australia with emergency services teams already responding to five major fires since the beginning of 2013.

Donations made to the Disaster Relief Fund will assist The Salvation Army respond to the current emergency situation in Tasmania and other areas affected by bushfires, as well as supporting the response to other disaster situations that may follow as the country prepares for ongoing hot weather and extreme bushfire risk.