Emergency (Page 2)

Read blog posts from the Canadian Red Cross about emergencies and disasters at home and abroad

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Meet Denis, a volunteer supporting communities affected by Hurricane Fiona

Denis Lessard wearing a Red Cross vest and smiling to the camera at a reception centre

Originating on the coast of West Africa on September 14, 2022, Fiona’s destructive character took the world by surprise. Reported wind gusts ranged from 100 to 140 km/h, rainfall exceeded 100 mm in some locations and hundreds of thousands of people experienced power outages. Sadly, Fiona holds the record for being the most intense storm to ever hit Canada. Denis Lessard, a Quebec Canadian Red Cross volunteer since 2006, was deployed in Newfoundland on October 2, 2022, following this severe weather event.

Denis Lessard wearing a Red Cross vest and smiling to the camera at a reception centre

Red Cross program supports Merritt’s Plant and Flower Shop after 2021 Floods

An woman, Vicky, standing in front of a store with plants to the side and a dog peering out from inside the store

In November 2021, around 2 a.m. Vicki Hansen jolted out of bed to answer the loud knocking at her door. The 70-year-old entrepreneur was about to experience the scariest event of her life. See how the Canadian Red Cross helped her, and her business, recover from floods.

An woman, Vicky, standing in front of a store with plants to the side and a dog peering out from inside the store

Behind the scenes with Red Cross' Kate Stene

Three people walking by an ambulance, two are carrying a large box

Growing up in a family of emergency responders and with a background in healthcare, it was Kate’s lifelong dream to work within the humanitarian sector, especially with the Red Cross. In her present role, she leads a team that’s specifically trained and dedicated to providing Mental Health and Psychosocial Support to those impacted by extreme weather events in B.C.
 

Three people walking by an ambulance, two are carrying a large box

Red Cross program helps Merritt Dance Studio recover from flood impacts

A young girl is opening the door to Love to Dance Academy studio while smiling at the camera

The young dancers from the Love to Dance Academy were thrilled about their annual dance event last November. Instead on November 15, 2021, during the first day of the dance event, the entire community of Merritt began to disperse as panicked families rushed to leave town. An evacuation order had been put out due to the massive flooding.

A young girl is opening the door to Love to Dance Academy studio while smiling at the camera

In good hands: A PEI family shares their gratitude for the help they received from Red Cross

A tree upended with roots showing and houses in the background

Shah, his wife, his two young children and his elderly parents lived without electricity as temperatures dropped on the island after Hurricane Fiona. Luckily, Shah soon found out about the support Red Cross was offering to people impacted by the hurricane and was introduced to “Mister René,” as he likes to call René Omalosanga, the accommodation lead for the response to Hurricane Fiona in Prince Edward Island.

A tree upended with roots showing and houses in the background

How Red Cross is helping those impacted by Fiona in Canada

A woman in Red Cross vest wearing mask and face shield speaking to another woman

The Canadian Red Cross continues to support those significantly impacted by post tropical storm Fiona that hit parts of the Atlantic provinces and Quebec. To date, the Red Cross has registered more than 79,000 households in all provinces impacted by the hurricane, and already distributed more than $11 million in financial assistance to over 32,000 eligible households.

A woman in Red Cross vest wearing mask and face shield speaking to another woman

Red Cross responds to Hurricane Fiona in Atlantic Canada and Quebec

Houses flooded in deep waters

The Canadian Red Cross is working closely with provincial, municipal, and Indigenous governments to provide help for people, communities, and businesses that have been impacted by Fiona. Find out how we are helping and where to get help if you need it.

Houses flooded in deep waters

Trial and triumph in Lebanon: Canadians’ generosity making an impact a world away

Two women speak in the foreground while children play on a large colourful mat in the background

Lebanon has been facing an evolving and complex humanitarian crisis for several years, generating widespread and growing needs for humanitarian assistance. The people of Lebanon are the ones bearing the brunt of the impact of a series of devastating crises: a complex economic and financial crisis, which has been exacerbated by COVID-19 and the explosion that rocked the Port of Beirut on August 4, 2020.

Two women speak in the foreground while children play on a large colourful mat in the background

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About The Blog

The purpose of this blog, quite simply, is to talk. This blog is an opportunity for Red Cross staff, volunteers, supporters and friends to share stories about what is happening in your community and the important work you are doing. It is a tool that will help keep all of us connected.

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