Lynn MacLeod didn’t worry when she volunteered to fly across the country to help people affected by the Saskatchewan wildfires. She knew that she was well-prepared.
“I’m so happy for all of our Red Cross training! It means I can go anywhere in the country and know how to help,” says MacLeod, who is from Prince Edward Island.
In recent weeks, Canadian Red Cross volunteers like MacLeod travelled from every province to help with the largest evacuation in Saskatchewan history.
Most volunteers didn’t know each other before the disaster struck. But before long, they were working in close-knit teams.
Volunteers from across Canada: (L-R)Valerie Pearson, Marie-Claude Pilon, Annaly Schreuder, Jane Hunt, Denis Houle.
At one Saskatoon shelter, for example, volunteers on the small human resources team, which helps manage deployments and scheduling, travelled from Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Now, they are good friends and efficient work partners.
Volunteers are the backbone of the Red Cross in Canada and around the world. About 280 Red Cross volunteers are helping people affected by the wildfires. All disaster response volunteers take in-depth training. Like MacLeod, they are well-prepared to help in their home community, across Canada or overseas.
If you are interested in becoming a Red Cross volunteer, please find out more by visiting our
website at
www.redcross.ca/volunteer