“The Salvation Army was the greatest thing that happened to us on September11, 2001,” says Mayor Claude Elliott of Gander, Newfoundland.

In the United States, when 19 terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners, 40,000 international travellers were diverted to 15 Canadian airports. About 6,600 of them landed at Gander, a town of about 9,500 residents. By late afternoon 37 commercial and military aircraft were sitting on the tarmac.

“It was like something out of a movie,” says the Mayor. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think we would be dealing with this many people in a matter of two or three hours.”

He called a state of emergency and several agencies from Gander and surrounding communities came together to offer assistance. Temporary shelters, blankets and food items were provided to the stranded as the horror of the day's events unfolded.
The Salvation Army prepared 380,000 meals over five days and in their churches pews were filled with sleeping bags and many people slept on the floor.

Says one passenger: “We spent 23 hours locked on the plane until we could be safely cleared to leave the plane, and then we were transported to The Salvation Army in Lewisporte, 45 minutes away. The people of Lewisporte and The Salvation Army fed us three meals a day and provided countless blankets, toothbrushes and toiletries for the passengers on our flight. The elementary school next to The Salvation Army building cancelled classes for its children to provide us with access to the much-needed shower stall and the computer classroom for us to e-mail home.”

This week, on September 11, 2007, Mayor Elliott will be a guest of the Canadian Consulate in Philadelphia, PA. He will share his personal recollections of Gander’s response to the emergency challenge with 150 businessmen.

His story is of particular interest to those responsible for emergency preparedness, demonstrates that we are all connected to world events and reflects the goodness of mankind amid one of humanity’s darkest hours.

“The people of Gander were able to help in a terrible tragedy,” says Elliott, “and The Salvation Army was a big part of it. I am proud of them for the spiritual guidance they offer and the good work they do.”

On September 11, 2001, 39 heavy aircraft were diverted to Gander International Airport when United States because of tragic terrorist hijackings. Runway 13/31 was converted to a temporary aircraft parking ramp. The airport terminal was turned into an aid centre as food and clothing was distributed to stranded passengers. The airport and its surrounding community afterwards received high praise for their response to the tragedy.

Mayor Elliott is an active member of The Salvation Army in Gander

The photo is a cross erected at Ground Zero