Effective September 2014
There are two types of disasters:
- A local disaster (e.g. a house fire, where a family is homeless with nothing
afterwards)
- A major disaster (e.g. the Goderich Tornado, where many people were
affected)
There are two types of needs after a disaster:
- Immediate help: clothing, food, toiletries and accommodation
- Long term help: some help may not be needed until several months after a
disaster, e.g. to support the community as they rebuild, refurnish homes,
and get back to ‘normal’
What can the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul do in times of disasters?
Our rule states very clearly on Page 114, 1.3
"No form of charity is foreign to the Society"
The most important part of a Disaster Plan is
to have a plan in place before a
disaster strikes. Have a small committee or three key people with someone being
available at all times to be the lead person, who knows all the up-to-date
information.
What can you do in your area?..
