NEWS
For Immediate Release
Contact: Barry Frost, 714.832.7100, Ext. 236

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS MORE RELEVANT THAN EVER
Orange County Salvation Army Wants To Be Prepared To Serve

"Two years ago, the possibility of a large-scale community disaster was the last thing on the minds of most Orange County residents," observes Captain Lee Lescano, Salvation Army Orange County Coordinator. "But ever since 9/11 we have had to rethink our assumptions. A terrorist attack could be launched just about anywhere.
And we have to be prepared."

Trauma from disastrous events can seriously impact the life of a community, Lescano points out. He offers this list of Warning Signs of Trauma-Related Stress from the American Psychological Association.
· Recurring thoughts or nightmares about the event.
· Having trouble sleeping or changes in appetite.
· Experiencing anxiety and fear, especially when exposed to events or situations reminiscent of the trauma.
· Being on edge, being easily startled or becoming overly alert.
· Feeling depressed, sad and having low energy.
· Experiencing memory problems including difficulty in remembering aspects of the trauma.
· Feeling "scattered" and unable to focus on work or daily activities. Having difficulty making decisions.
· Feeling irritable, easily agitated, or angry and resentful.
· Feeling emotionally "numb," withdrawn, disconnected or different from others.
· Spontaneously crying, feeling a sense of despair and hopelessness.
· Feeling extremely protective of, or fearful for, the safety of loved ones.
· Not being able to face certain aspects of the trauma, and avoiding activities, places, or even people that remind you of the event.

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"The better prepared we are, the less we will have to wrestle with this kind of debilitating emotional fallout, should our community face a major disaster," says Lescano.

Most people recall September 2001 newspaper photos of Salvation Army volunteers manning relief stations at Ground Zero in New York City, Washington D.C. and in Pennsylvania, offering distraught citizens coffee and doughnuts, and a shoulder to cry on. The Salvation Army has a long history of rushing to the scenes of disaster, bringing mobile canteens with hot meals and emergency supplies like drinking water, food, blankets, clothing and cleaning supply kits.

Now that Orange County is potentially as vulnerable as any other site in the country, Captain Lescano is requesting donations to keep its canteens and equipment in readiness, and to maintain adequate quantities of food staples and relief supplies. "This time to prepare for a disaster is early-before you have any reasonable expectation of it happening," he declares. "It's only human to avoid thinking about disaster. A well-prepared disaster services strike force is now essential in every community. It can save lives and minimize trauma."

To make a donation you may mail your gift to The Salvation Army Orange County, 10200 Pioneer Road, Tustin, California 92782, or call 714.832.7100.

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