Disaster Response (Page 52)

Many Torontonians who have been without power since the weekend will be spending the holidays in shelters set up across the city.

Labron lost his mom a few years ago and lives with his grandmother in a high-rise building that lost power and heat. She called 911 for help to get down the apartment stairs after two cold days. Police brought them to the Agincourt Community Center where the Red Cross has been operating a warming center.

The Red Cross continue to help those affected by the ice storm by supporting 10 of the City’s warming centers across Toronto. Approximately 800 people stayed in those centres last night. In addition, Red Cross volunteers are also supporting 14 sites in southern Ontario, outside of the city.

Red Cross volunteers across Ontario have been called on to help support warming centres and overnight shelters for those affected by the severe winter storm that hit the province on Saturday overnight. In Toronto, over 320 people visited the warming centres last night.

The holidays have a way of sneaking up on us sometimes. Next thing you know, there are a lot of cookie swaps going on, fruit cakes in stores and chocolate, chocolate, chocolate... everywhere!

I checked in with some Red Crossers to find out what’s on their plates for the holidays. Canadian Red Cross Emergency Response Unit delegate, Lynn Henderson, is sharing the recipe for her family tradition – homemade bagels.

Marcel McIntyre is often the first to arrive at the Red Cross field hospital in the city of Ormoc, in the Philippines early in the morning and the last to leave at night. The field hospital was set up in in front of the local district hospital, which was damaged by the typhoon.