• Michael R. Schwartz

Busy week for Ogdensburg, NY EDS Team

Ogdensburg, NY - The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services Team based in Ogdensburg, NY (St. Lawrence County) has seen one of their busiest weeks in recent memory with ice jam flooding and two structure fires in two days.  Beginning on Friday January 12th and lasting through the last weekend, Salvation Army EDS volunteers were assisting with monitoring conditions along the St. Lawrence River for any impacts from ice jams that occurred due to a quick warm up leading to a snow melt and heavy rain in the North Country.  As the team was beginning to wrap up operations from the area flooding around midnight Tuesday, they were requested by the St. Lawrence County Office of Emergency Services to respond to a multi-unit residential fire in the City of Ogdensburg.  The team provided a full range of services to the ten families who were forced from their homes.  These services included canteening, emotional and spiritual care and case work to ensure that all needs are met.  In addition, the team provided hot drinks, water and rehabilitation assistance to the first responders on scene.

On Thursday morning, the team was again requested by the St. Lawrence County Office of Emergency Services to provide services to a family of seven displaced from their home in Morristown due to a fire.  As with the fire in Ogdensburg, services were provided to the residents of the impacted home and all first responders on scene.

At this time, the team is working with our partners with the Red Cross North Country Chapter and area agencies to assist survivors with recovery.

“I am beyond words to express my pride in the hard work of our volunteers in Ogdensburg as well as the steadfast leadership of Lieutenants Shaun and Stacy McNeil.  The team continues to flourish under the leadership of our Lieutenants and the support that they have from the North Country community.  This is a team that serves under some of the harshest conditions in the Division.  Actual air temperatures during these activations were in the -30 degree range and were the coldest temperatures in the continental US last week.  Our team is out there serving to make sure the community knows we are there and prepared to help.” said Michael R. Schwartz, Divisional Disaster Director for the Empire State Division of The Salvation Army.

For more information on The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services, please contact Michael Schwartz at (315) 434-1367 or michael.schwartz@use.salvationarmy.org