The Salvation Army Safe Seniors AmeriCorps Program begins distribution of emergency kits
The Salvation Army/AmeriCorps volunteers prepare Safe Senior Disaster kits for distribution at the Salvation Army Annex Building in Anchorage March 11, 2018. The kits contain a senior pack which consists of packaged water, food rations, a dust mask, pill organizer, a foldable walking cane and water purification pills. Also added to the kits are glow sticks, a flashlight, hand warmers, emergency signs and hand sanitizer. The kits are designed to help seniors survive for up to three days in the case of an emergency while they wait for assistance. (Robert DeBerry/The Salvation Army)
A new program started by The Salvation Army Alaska Division, using AmeriCorps members, helps seniors prepare for natural disasters and weather emergencies. By doing so, the Safe Seniors AmeriCorps Program hopes to reduce the impact disasters may have on the daily lives of seniors and equip them with the necessary tools and knowledge to survive a disaster and recover quickly.
Through the program The Salvation Army AmeriCorps members help seniors work the three steps to preparedness. Be informed, create a plan and develop a kit. By being informed, seniors learn what hazards threaten their neighborhoods and community. They create a plan which includes a support network, household preparedness and self-assessment and then practice the planned actions or update their old plan. The last step is to develop their kit by gathering critical supplies such as food, water and medication.
According to The Salvation Army Safe Seniors AmeriCorps Program Manger Maddie Kettner, the program is one of the few available in Anchorage for seniors. “There are some programs that offer minimal levels of support, but we are really the only program that is sitting down and helping seniors to develop an individualized plan, especially those seniors that have specific barriers.
Kettner said that seniors tend to have more barriers that stand between them and safety or preparedness and arming them with knowledge is a large part of the program. “We want to give them personal empowerment to make informed decisions. We encourage them to make copies of documents, pack a bag and keep it in the car in case they have to leave in a hurry.”
Another area we are trying to focus on is proper water storage said Kettner. “A lot of seniors don’t have proper water storage. Water is a huge thing from cooking to sanitation. People have water but it is not stored properly. One of the things we are really trying to focus on is to make sure they are not drinking unhealthy water on top of an already dire situation.”
Being prepared when the situation gets dire is where the emergency preparedness kits come in. With the program starting in November of 2017 and five new Salvation Army Safe Senior AmeriCorps members on board things are now moving forward.
To help celebrate National AmeriCorps week, which was March 12-16, we assembled 360 emergency preparedness kits said Kettner. The Salvation Army’s National Headquarters Emergency Disaster Services office provided a grant to purchase the kits, which include water and food rations for one person for three days, water purification pills, a dust mask, a seven-day pill organizer, a whistle, emergency blanket, poncho, two Glow sticks, a flashlight, a folding cane, hand sanitizer, hand warmers, and a sign indicating “I’m Safe or Help Me” for their window. A lightweight, bright red backpack holds the emergency items and makes it easy to find and grab in a hurry. Kettner points out that the water and the meals ready to eat have an extended shelf life of five years.
TOTE Maritime helped us get all the kits to Alaska and several groups came together to get them ready for distribution said Kettner. “We had AmeriCorps members, officers from The Salvation Army, members of the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary and the Director of Serve Alaska that came together to gets these kits ready.”
So far, the program has handed out 25 kits and have enrolled close to 50 seniors. Kettner said for a senior to go through the program and receive a kit takes about an hour to hour and a half. She also said we do a follow up a year later to see if they need help updating their plan.
Emergency Disaster Services Director Jenni Ragland said the next step is to reach out to the faith community. “Through this process we plan to train congregation members, who will then assist elder and seniors in their congregations. We hope to offer this at the area Corps and already have one non-Salvation Army church interested in participating.” Our goal is to continue to identify resources that will help us share this program in communities throughout Alaska!
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The Salvation Army/AmeriCorps volunteers prepare Safe Senior Disaster kits for distribution at the Salvation Army Annex Building in Anchorage March 11, 2018. The kits contain a senior pack which consists of packaged water, food rations, a dust mask, pill organizer, a foldable walking cane and water purification pills. Also added to the kits are glow sticks, a flashlight, hand warmers, emergency signs and hand sanitizer. The kits are designed to help seniors survive for up to three days in the case of an emergency while they wait for assistance. (Robert DeBerry/The Salvation Army)