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 AT THE NORTH American Disaster Services conference are (l-r) Lt. Col. Donald Bell, Officers of the Year Captains Brian and Cindy Anderson, Emergency and Disaster Services Coordinator Tom McSherry and Community Relations and Development Secretary Major David Hudson. |
At the recent North American Emergency Disaster Services conference held in Atlanta, Georgia, Salvationists from across the nation received training and honored individuals and programs that provided outstanding disaster service work in the past year.
The the conference theme was “Honoring the Past, Preparing for the future, an Army ready to Serve!”
The conference achieved its goals by providing, as Community Relations and Development Secretary Major David Hudson said, “an opportunity to better equip our emergency disaster responders with the education they need to implement effective response and recovery programs.”
Delegates had the opportunity to receive certificates of completion in a choice of courses. They also attended a training forum that covered the dynamics of emergency work and the role that Army workers play in disaster relief.
The Western Territory awards went to:
Advisory Board Member of the Year Temple Elliott, Ph.D., Monterey Peninsula Corps advisory board member, Golden State Division, for his tireless efforts in counseling workers in New York City at ground zero.
Officer of the Year Captains Brian and Cindy Anderson, Herberger Center corps officers, Southwest Division, for their work in the Arizona communities affected by wildfires.
Professional of the Year June Loo, administrative assistant in the Service Extension/Disaster Services department, Southern California Division, for her 20 years of service in assisting in numerous disasters.
Program of the Year Intermountain Emergency Disaster Services, Inter-mountain Division, for responding to five wildfires occurring throughout the state simultaneously.