Most people in Canada don’t think of disasters as happening in their backyard – but they do.  Each year, Red Cross responds to nearly 20,000 disasters in Canada – from tornadoes and floods to house fires.  In recent years, disasters have driven more than four million Canadians from their homes and caused billions of dollars in damage. Payments by governments and insurers have been doubling every five to 10 years.

The Canadian Red Cross helps people affected by emergencies and disasters – situations ranging from a housefire to a flood that disrupts an entire region of the country. Following a disaster, Red Cross works with governments and other humanitarian organizations to provide for people's basic needs – food, clothing, shelter, first aid, emotional support and family reunification. The specific services offered will be based on the community's needs and the role that Red Cross has in the local disaster response plan. 

	Disaster Management Volunteer - Sharon Montague

Though the type and magnitude of disasters in Southern Alberta vary greatly, two things remain the same:

1. Disasters cause great suffering.  Survivors almost always need help to meet immediate day-to-day basic needs, and often require longer-term help to rebuild their lives and deal with the trauma.
2. Those in need can count on help from the Canadian Red Cross.

For more on our Disaster Management program, click here.

For more on our partners, click on this link.