Red Cross response to Hurricane Igor is ongoing

ST. JOHN'S, NL (Sept. 23) - Disaster volunteers and staff with the Canadian Red Cross continue to assist municipal authorities and individuals in areas of Newfoundland and Labrador impacted by hurricane Igor.

In Clarenville, 42 people utilized an overnight shelter managed by the Red Cross in partnership with the municipality, including 18 passengers of a DRL bus stranded by washed-out roads. Red Cross volunteers distributed bottled water, comfort kits containing personal toiletries, and household packs of cleanup supplies ranging from mops and buckets to disinfectants. In Placentia, 19 pallets of bottled water were distributed and Red Cross volunteers transported food and beverages for seniors in residential facilities, and delivered cleanup kits to town offices for local distribution. They also staffed and equipped a comfort centre for evacuees.

In Freshwater, about 25 residents accessed a Red Cross comfort centre at the local community centre. A Red Cross emergency vehicle from Corner Brook delivered 153 cases of bottled water to Hare Bay, and a team from Burin did likewise for 55 residents of Beau Bois.

Other members of Red Cross emergency response teams were staffing the organization's operation centre in St. John's. Dozens of volunteers with emergency response teams for St. John's, Clarenville, Burin, Grand Falls-Windsor and Corner Brook, NL, have contributed hundreds of volunteer hours.

The Red Cross said corporate supporters throughout the province were also quick to donate products and services for relief efforts. Those ranged from cash to bottled water, to food and flood cleanup products or support with logistics and transportation from corporate partners such as Browning Harvey (Pepsi), Costco, Exxon Mobil, Home Depot, Irving, PF Collins, Shoppers Drug Mart, Sobeys and Walmart as well as members of the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors.

The Red Cross relies on financial donations to cover the cost of supplies, training and deploying disaster volunteers to events ranging from a house fire affecting one family to major events such as hurricane Igor that impacted thousands of people in many communities. Financial donations can be made in person or by mail to Red Cross offices in St. John’s, Grand Falls-Windsor, Corner Brook and Wabush, or by calling 1-800-418-1111.

HURRICANE IGOR ASSISTANCE»

Posted September 24, 2010/Updated October 25, 2010