With the Red Cross for over a dozen years, I have been deployed to the scene of unimaginable emergencies many times, including the Lac-Mégantic railway tragedy, the Fort McMurray wildfire, the recent floods in Eastern Canada and to Montreal to welcome many Syrian refugees. Unfortunately, I understand too well the plight of people confronted with extraordinary situations.
Emergency
Blog Page Number 15Read blog posts from the Canadian Red Cross about emergencies and disasters at home and abroad
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The Upper Squamish Valley Fire (or Magee Road Fire) was the first emergency of 2020 requiring evacuations to hit the province of British Columbia. Read how the Red Cross responded, when rules around COVID-19 drastically altered how we work.
When the muddy water from nearby rivers spilled into Fort McMurray in late April, some made its way into the Red Cross Health Equipment Loan Program (HELP) depot there. At its height, the freezing floodwater stood more than a metre deep in the building.
During a typical disaster, Red Cross volunteers would check on how someone is coping through a face-to-face visit, however, in keeping with COVID-19 physical distancing requirements, teams are currently doing daily check-ins by phone. In Saskatchewan, volunteers have already made more than 200 wellness check phone calls to people with vulnerabilities being supported in self-isolation.
For many Canadians in need, COVID-19 brings a whole new set of challenges in terms of food, lodging, hygiene, access to health care, and social interactions. Fewer pedestrians and reduced vehicle traffic mean less charitable giving in public spaces.
Normally, when someone loses everything they own in an apartment fire, the Canadian Red Cross Personal Disaster Assistance Team (PDAT) arrives on the scene with blankets and teddy bears to offer warmth and comfort. That’s how it worked before COVID-19.
As Canadians are encouraged to stay home to prevent the spread of COVID-19, families are facing the challenge of keeping children’s needs met while at home.
For the past two weeks, Canadians aboard a cruise ship have been in quarantine due to an outbreak of COVID-19. The Red Cross is helping Canadians in quarantine after their arrival from Japan – here’s how.