Hurricanes

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.”

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.

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.

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.

In 2019, Hurricane Dorian destroyed the homes of some 70,000 people in the Bahamas. Learn how a Red Cross humanitarian worker helped those in some of the most vulnerable situations rebuild using an innovative and empowering approach.

Most Canadian Red Cross international emergency health clinic deployments last four weeks.  In fall 2020, however, Garry Enns of Manitoba was the first Canadian Red Cross humanitarian worker to support the clinic from start to finish.

In November, the Canadian Red Cross sent an emergency health clinic and aid workers to Honduras to provide much-needed health services after Hurricanes Eta and Iota devastated the Central America region. 

It’s more important than ever to get a head start on your hurricane preparedness. Preparing now means less crowds and shortages amidst a hurricane warning. Here are some easy tips to help get you started.