Debbie Smith, Donna Doak and Sharon McDougall are Red Cross disaster response volunteers from Brockville who have been volunteering their time to help those who have been evacuated from their homes in northern Ontario due to flooding.
The three Brockville women travelled to Cornwall where approximately 500 residents of Kashechewan are being temporarily sheltered until they can return home.
The entire First Nations community, approximately 1,500 people, was forced to evacuate beginning May 10 because of flooding. Evacuees were sent to various host communities across the province, including Cornwall, Thunder Bay and Kapuskasing. The Red Cross has been on site to provide support to municipal and provincial governments who are leading the relief efforts.
When asked what Debbie’s role is in the response, she will tell you that she has been the Emergency Response Team lead and safety officer, and that her other responsibilities have included filling milk bottles and delivering diapers.
Ensuring evacuated families have access to baby supplies has been an important task for Red Cross volunteers. In Cornwall, they set up a ‘tuck shop’ where families can request essential items they are in need of including diapers, formula, and baby food.
Already in the various host communities, the Red Cross has provided Kashechewan residents more than 7000 diapers, 1200 baby food items and more than 100 infant equipment items, such as playpens or strollers – items which some parents may have not been able to bring with them when they evacuated.
Volunteers Sharon and Debbie have been involved with the Red Cross for about a year and a half now, while this is Donna’s first response. The Red Cross is thankful for the support of all 216 volunteers and other Red Cross personnel who have been supporting the community throughout this emergency response.