A Canadian Red Cross volunteer waits to greet newly arrive Kosovar refugees at Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Ontario.The Canadian Red Cross responded to a number of different disasters in 1999, including: helping survivors of Hurricane Floyd in the Caribbean, Hurricane Irene in Cuba, survivors of mudslides and floods in southern Mexico, and those impacted by massive earthquakes in Turkey.
In the spring of 1999, over 5,000 Kosovar refugees were evacuated to Canada. Operation Parasol was a collaboration between the Department of National Defense, Citizenship and Immigration Canada. More than 4,400 Canadian Red Cross volunteers and staff provided care and comfort to the refugees during their transition into Canada. The Red Cross aided in the supply of clothing and hygiene products and organized recreational activities and educational services. The use of the new computerized tracing system helped the Red Cross contact displaced family members in refugee camps and elsewhere in Europe.
A Canadian Red Cross volunteer waits to greet newly arrive Kosovar refugees at Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Ontario.