BATAVIA – The Salvation Army will offer emergency disaster training in Batavia on Saturday, Sept. 6, and Saturday, Sept. 20.

“Introduction to Emergency Disaster Services (EDS)” will run from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 6, and “Introduction to the Incident Command System (ICS)” will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 20. Both classes will be held at The Salvation Army Center for Worship and Service, 529 E. Main Street, Batavia.

The courses are free, and open to anyone who registers in advance – by Aug. 22 for the EDS class and by Sept. 5 for the ICS class. Materials and lunch will be provided. To register, contact Joan Stevens at the Batavia Salvation Army at 585-343-6284, Ext. 10, or register online.

Leslie Vattimo, a certified instructor and director of disaster services for the Empire State Division, said that volunteers completing the training can become certified through The Salvation Army in Emergency Disaster Services and receive a Salvation Army photo ID.

“This training,” she said, “is the first step for people who would like to become part of an Emergency Disaster Services team, ready to help their local community or even in a disaster elsewhere.”

In the introductory course, “participants will learn about The Salvation Army, its mission, how it operates in disaster situations, how they would fit in and what would be expected of them, including how they can best prepare and equip themselves for disaster relief,” Vattimo said.

The ICS class provides a general orientation to The Salvation Army Incident Command System at a disaster site. “Participants learn how ICS is used to command, control and coordinate disaster relief operations, including interfacing with government and non-government agencies also responding to a disaster,” she said

Vattimo noted that disasters come in many forms, whether man-made or natural, and are “always devastating to those involved.” The Salvation Army is “on the scene because of its everyday presence in communities across the country,” she said, “and with its concern for people’s needs, The Salvation Army is often among the first to provide assistance when disaster strikes.”

The introductory course is a prerequisite for advanced disaster training in the Incident Command System, Food Service and Food Safety, First Aid/CPR, Emotional and Spiritual Care, plus additional specialized courses, she said. Vattimo is certified through the State Emergency Management Office (SEMO), the National Salvation Army, and Medic First Aid. 

About The Salvation Army:

The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination since 1865. Nearly 33 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. The Empire State Division assists families and individuals in 48 Upstate New York counties through its four Area Services in Albany, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo, 47 corps in other cities and 170 Service Units in smaller communities.