Samaritan's Purse Disaster Relief teams are visiting properties devastated by bush fires to plan volunteer assistance and deliver Fire Recovery Kits to help people with the clean-up of properties.
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Increasing public awareness of its disaster relief truck in Taree, its purpose and capacity, has seen people visit the truck to seek help and advice from Samaritan's Purse volunteers.
The semi-trailer is parked at OneLife Church in Muldoon Street and will be set-up until December 20. If community demand for its resources is strong, and no other natural disasters occur in Australia, the truck may remain on site during January.
Samaritan's Purse is gifting Fire Recovery Kits to people to help them to begin the process of searching their properties for possessions, and to clear areas of materials destroyed or damaged by fire.
The kits contains a wrecking bar, concrete shovel, mouth shovel, landscape rake, combination pliers, steel claw hammer, mattock with cutter, disposable overalls, round plastic bin, safety spectacles, face masks, leather gloves, and rubber gloves. Each kit is worth more than $300 and is funded by public donations to Samaritan's Purse.
Samaritan's Purse gifted a kit to Erin when he visited the disaster relief truck, and volunteers will help the Bobin resident to clean-up his home, shed and property.
Erin shared with Samaritan's Purse that "the fire came quickly" and he "had 10 minutes to run into the house and grab what he could ...." and went "from room to room trying to get something for everyone."
When he returned to the house three hours later, Erin said "the fire had taken everything; it jumped from building to building and ate up everything."
Erin saw the Samaritan's Disaster Relief Truck while driving to Taree Showground.
"I stopped and walked in and asked what kind of relief was being offered. I was quite amazed. I hadn't heard of Samaritan's Purse Disaster Relief," Erin said.
"Clayton (Samaritan's Purse volunteer) was very kind and gave us a Fire Recovery Kit which has been very useful. It was so lovely. I guarantee we will use everything in that fire kit.
We wish we had it at the beginning. It was symbolic to us - it gave us the energy to make a start on our house.
- Erin - Bobin
"We put our gloves on. The gesture gave us a spark. We wish we had it at the beginning. It was symbolic to us - it gave us the energy to make a start on our house."
To learn more or to help fund Fire Recovery Kits or Samaritan's Purse Disaster Relief work visit its website samaritanspurse.org.au/helping-fire-affected-families/
To access the support of the Samaritan's Purse Disaster Relief Truck visit OneLife Church in Muldoon Street, Taree.
