ATHOL — Though it’s been about a month since Cindy Kennedy returned from her deployment with the Salvation Army to assist with the response to Hurricane Helene, she said those impacted by the storm may need a year or two to get back on their feet.

Kennedy, of Phillipston, is a member of the Salvation Army Athol Corps. On Sept. 30, she went with Luz Caban and Pam Houghton for a deployment to Live Oak, Florida, which had been hit by Hurricane Helene, to provide emotional and spiritual care and storm cleanup kits. The deployment was for 13 days and the team was in Live Oak for a couple days.

“They had damage, but not devastating — they got a handle on it and so we turned it over to the [local Salvation Army] Corps,” Kennedy said.

The team was then sent to Douglas, Georgia, which was also hit by Hurricane Helene. Kennedy said the situation was “devastating.” While there, she said volunteers were distributing 2,000 meals a day. Many people in Douglas were struggling emotionally and the need for support was strong, said Kennedy. She recalled an 86-year-old woman who was trapped in her house for 14 days by fallen trees and had to break the branches to get out.

“We were the first contact she made after being trapped in her house for 14 days,” Kennedy said.

Not all the emotional issues can be helped by the Salvation Army team, and Kennedy said in these situations they’re trained to recognize the signs that more is needed. She remembered one woman who got out of her car to get something to eat and seemed “totally deflated.”

“I asked her if I could give her a hug and she said yes, and she opened up about losing her mom before the storm hit,” Kennedy said. “She was going through the motions and she said, ‘This is the first time I could sit down and acknowledge that my mom passed.’”

Emily Mew, director of The Salvation Army Massachusetts Division Emergency Disaster Services, said 12 members of the Massachusetts Salvation Army Corps were deployed, and 67 from across 11 Northeast states. Some were sent as general support, others to offer emotional and spiritual care, and some with incident management teams. She said all those who have been deployed have since returned home.

“We hadn’t gotten this many requests from the southern territory this quickly since Hurricane Katrina,” Mew said. “Typically the South is well-situated to respond to the disasters. We were getting tentative requests prior to the hurricane because they knew they’d need the support.”

Kennedy said it’s become normal for her to be deployed, and since she’s retired, she can make it work with her schedule. Post-deployment debriefings and support is offered if needed.

“After the first deployment, all your attention is on the victims,” she said. “You know they’re not going to get on their feet for a year or two.”

Max Bowen can be reached at 413-930-4074 or at mbowen@atholdailynews.com.