Disaster Response

Latest Posts

Red Cross responds to wildfires in Nova Scotia

Wildfires are burning in Halifax region and Shelburne County Nova Scotia, forcing people to evacuate from their homes. The Canadian Red Cross is on the ground in support of the provincial and municipal governments. We’re working together with community organizations to provide help to those who have been impacted. 

Read about humanitarian worker and author France Hurtubise

France Hurtubise, a retired Communications delegate living in Montréal, looks back on her experience in the humanitarian sector and shares her story with us. Over the course of 25 years working abroad, France traveled to four continents and worked in countries heavily impacted by conflicts and disasters. In May 2022, she published “Grandeur et dénuement”, an account of her years with the Red Cross (ICRC, IFRC and CRC) and the UN.

A Volunteer Journey

Joe Michielsen is entering his third decade as a volunteer with the Canadian Red Cross in southern Alberta. Discover why he thinks “volunteering is the best job”.

Heartbreak and hope: One year of conflict in Ukraine 

What does it mean to live through a year of armed conflict? For some, it means having to leave behind everything they know for somewhere safer. For others, it means spending hours in bomb shelters, or hours without electricity. For too many it means being separated from family, struggling to access basic medical care and not knowing what will happen next. 

The Community Services Recovery Fund – supporting community organizations impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic

A new program has been launched to help community service organizations in Canada strengthen their internal structures and practices as they recover from the pandemic. This will, in turn, assist them as they continue to support their communities.

Local affected by Hurricane Fiona finds strength in volunteering with this community

When Hurricane Fiona hit William Coney’s quaint neighbourhood on September 24, 2022, the Canadian Red Cross volunteer did what he knew best: help others. He says volunteering gave him a sense of agency. “Certainly, it was a lot nicer to be autonomous and active. This was a way I could help my local community.”

What responding to emergencies in Canada and West Africa taught me

Sarah Parisio's role within the Canadian Red Cross involves supporting people impacted by disasters through leading teams of fellow humanitarians who respond to emergencies in Canada and around the world. Discover how she brought with her skills developed through responding to emergencies in Canada to an international context and what new knowledge she brought back home in return.

A senior couple grateful for support recovering from the unexpected damage by Fiona

Doug and his wife lay awake all night listening to the violent winds and debris crashing against their home when Hurricane Fiona hit. Like many of their neighbours in Pictou County, Nova Scotia, they’d been advised to prepare ahead of time; but when their front door - closed and locked - was ripped off their house with a loud bang at 3 a.m., the severity of the storm became clear.

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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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