Photo of the Day: How the Red Cross responds to disasters

Philippine Red Cross volunteers mobilizing in Northern Cebu. Photo: Philippine Red Cross Philippine Red Cross volunteers mobilizing relief items in Northern Cebu. Photo: Philippine Red Cross

 

Nearly 10 million people have been affected by Typhoon Haiyan according to the latest report from the Philippines’ National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Over 618,000 people have been displaced by the disaster and 1,458 evacuation centres have been opened.

Following a disaster of this scale, the local Red Cross society relies on its teams of local volunteers to respond. The Philippine Red Cross has over 500,000 active volunteers across all provinces and major cities. These teams of local staff and volunteers are reaching some of the worst affected areas, although access is difficult. They are offering support to impacted people, including search and rescue, first aid, serving meals in shelters, family tracing and psychosocial support. A convoy of 25 Red Cross vehicles including ambulances and water trucks is on its way to Tacloban with relief supplies.

The Red Cross movement also has a large network of highly trained disaster response experts who can be mobilized to support relief efforts. This includes Emergency Response Units, such as the field hospital that is being deployed tomorrow to the Philippines by the Canadian Red Cross, with support from the Norwegian and Hong Kong Red Cross societies.

The Canadian Red Cross is preparing to deploy its field hospital to the Philippines. Photo shared on Twitter by @TomPodolec. The Canadian Red Cross is preparing to deploy its field hospital to the Philippines. Photo shared on Twitter by @TomPodolec.

 

As with all disasters, the most effective way to provide help to the Philippines is through a financial donation. This ensures those affected receive the right materials as quickly as possible without having to worry about the time or costs associated with shipping hard goods. The Canadian government is currently matching donations made by individual Canadians between November 8 and December 9, 2013.

More information on how to support through a fundraising initiative can be found at redcross.ca.

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