Safety protocols mean Red Cross volunteers can help where needed during COVID-19

In April, a major apartment fire in the town of Oromocto, New Brunswick resulted in emergency aid being provided by the Canadian Red Cross. Emergency management staff and volunteers sprang into action, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, assisting 24 tenants with lodging, food and necessities while others stayed with relatives or friends.
 
 Red Cross volunteer Mary Ann“I am always impressed with the work of the Canadian Red Cross,” said Bill Jarratt, Oromocto’s director of recreation and tourism, “but the commitment and dedication to helping people especially during COVID-19 is admirable.”
 
Physical distancing measures have made it possible for Red Cross volunteers to continue to give back to their communities. Mary Ann Mann was one of the volunteers who assisted. “Safety protocols have been in place since the beginning of the pandemic. Contact with tenants is now over the phone, debit cards are delivered to the front desks of hotels, and when required personal protection equipment is used.”
 
Red Cross Emergency Management Coordinator Elizabeth Hendrick added, “we want to make sure our volunteers and our community remain safe during this unprecedented time. The pandemic may have affected how we respond to emergencies, but it hasn’t changed our mission of supporting those affected.”

Related: 
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