Emergency Preparedness 16

I had no idea how damaging water was to a house until I saw my parent’s home in Burlington flooded a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, while spring brings flowers and warmth, it also brings increased risk of flooding due to melting snow and precipitation. In Canada, it is one of the most common disasters so take a few minutes to learn how to be prepared for flood season.

Floods are one of the most common disasters in Canada – and one of the most costly. While springtime means finally hanging up that parka and retiring the snow shovel for now, warmer weather also means that it’s flooding season for many Canadians. Here's how to prepare and how to stay safe.  

Earthquakes don’t come with built in warning systems. For millions of people in many of B.C.’s largest cities, Tuesday’s quake was a wake up call. What will yours be?

The start of the year is a perfect time to check your emergency kit to make sure everything is ready to go if it’s needed. 

How do some countries and regions escape relatively unscathed from major disasters, while others struggle to recover from these events? Many factors are at play, and while it’s impossible to compare one disaster with another, it’s clear that the level of preparedness and the local capacity to respond quickly to the disaster can significantly improve the outcomes.

In an emergency, you may not have electricity to cook standard meals for your family or yourself – what delicious and nutritious meals would you ‘cook’ up?
Join in our contest by using #DisasterDining to share your recipe as text, photo or video. The seven entries with the most votes will be eligible to win a $25 Walmart gift card or disaster preparedness kit.

Released today by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), this year’s World Disasters Report takes a look at the importance of local actors, individuals and local groups such as National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, taking action as first responders at the scene of a crisis.

My first impression of Philippine Red Cross staff and volunteers when I arrived straight after Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013 was of dedicated and hardworking people who deeply believe in the mission and ideals of the Red Cross. They never shy away from harsh and difficult conditions to ensure that assistance is delivered to those who truly need it, when they need it.