Red Cross responds to severe storms in Alberta
Severe weather systems May 1 and resulting flooding left most homes in Stand Off, a southern Alberta community, without power or water and several hundred residents of the Blood Tribe First Nation were evacuated.
The Red Cross responded immediately, in support of the Blood Tribe Disaster Services. The Red Cross helped to house more than 100 people in temporary shelters. Residents of the community who are elderly, ill or pregnant were sheltered in area hotels. The shelter was open throughout the weekend until late Sunday night when power had been fully restored to the entire community.
Residents who had chosen not to leave their homes during the disaster, but who required food and water, came to the Canadian Red Cross temporary shelters where they were given hot meals and bottled water. Pam Heavy Head, the shelter’s Red Cross Coordinator, spoke about how “happy the children were, just to come out and have a hot meal.”
As well as meeting basic needs, the Canadian Red Cross provided emotional support to those affected including the gift of plush toy RBC lions to children in the community. The Red Cross continues to assist community members with clean up operations and has begun to provide RONA clean-up kits which include a mop, pail, bleach and rubber gloves. Pam and her colleagues continue to monitor the situation in Stand Off.
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