Red Cross Training (Page 13)

It’s that time of year when many school sports are in full swing, along with minor hockey, basketball and many other activities. As parents and coaches, we cheer on our athletes, encourage them to give their best effort, congratulate them on the wins and console them after tough losses. But there’s another important role we can play on the sidelines to keep the play fun and safe for all young athletes.

Do you imagine drowning to be splashy and loud, with arms flailing and screams for help, as perhaps seen in a movie? If you thought you could hear if a loved one was drowning, you would be sorely mistaken. The reality is that someone could be drowning a few feet away from you and you wouldn’t know it – because drowning is often silent.

Cor Zandbergen has been helping people his entire life. In 1971, as an 18 year old, he joined the Volunteer Fire Department and Ambulance Service in the town of Mackenzie, B.C. Since then, he’s been an active volunteer with the Vancouver Police Department, Vernon Search and Rescue, and of course the Red Cross. In fact, you would have to try pretty hard to find a time when he wasn’t volunteering to better his community.

Snuggle up with your favourite hot beverage and read these quick First Aid for cold weather tips to prepare yourself for the Canadian winter as it approaches.

The Canadian Red Cross is working with the Honduran Red Cross to help build their capacity as part of the CERA program. This program, with support from the Government of Canada, means that the Honduran Red Cross will be better prepared to respond to disasters and emergencies. Here are some ways the program is making a difference in Honduras.

In Mali, every year between July and September, heavy rains fall across the country. Some regions, such as Sikasso, are hit harder than others and the damage goes far beyond material goods. Families are left homeless, flooded areas quickly become breeding grounds for diseases such as malaria, which is a leading cause of death in children under five. One of the essential roles of Red Cross volunteers is to support people affected by disasters.

In the early days of a disaster, Red Cross communications aid workers are under immense pressure to respond. These early days are also a key time for communications aid workers to reach the media to harness the public’s attention and increase donations, which have a big impact on the disaster assistance that the Red Cross can provide. That’s why the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) held its first-ever international emergency communications training in Finland in September.

At the Red Cross, we have been teaching swimming and water safety in Canada since 1946. We give people the knowledge and confidence they need to stay safe when they are on, in, or near the water. We also provide the training and skills for a fun and rewarding job – lifeguarding!