A volunteer's experience of the Thunder Bay Flood

"After seeing what those people were going through, I knew I would never take things for granted any longer." – Lisa Murphy, Disaster Management volunteer

It was the one of the largest Red Cross responses in Ontario's history. Due to heavy rainfall, many Canadians watched as flood waters carrying raw sewage tore through the community of Thunder Bay. Approximately 5,000 houses were affected, and a declaration of a state of emergency was called.

The pumps failed at the nearby sewage plant, releasing its content. The water spilled into homes everywhere, rising quickly in some locations to seven feet in minutes. Parts of houses, personal belongings and waste started to pile up outside of homes and on streets.

Within 24 hours, Disaster Management volunteer, Lisa Murphy, was on the front line, leading the field teams. Nine hours earlier, she had just returned from volunteering at the Timmins fires. She lead 10 field teams that went door to door, to every affected home, to assess the needs of the occupants. Over 500 homes were visited in the span of four days. "Not only were people's houses taken out, they were living in outhouse-like conditions," describes Lisa. She recalls, in some areas, piles of debris were higher than the structures. "I remember looking out from a step where I was offering comfort to a local. After seeing what those people were going through, I knew I would never take things for granted any longer."

Lisa was one of 160 hard-working, compassionate Red Cross volunteers who worked 16-hour days, in 38 degree weather, to help those in need. They battled heat exhaustion and growing mould issues from all the water. "You're there to help people. That's what the Red Cross is all about," says Lisa. "These people went through all this and some still had a smile on their face. It showed me what people could endure at the time of a disaster and still keep their spirits up." Lisa recalls they had nothing and yet, were so grateful for cleaning kits, toiletries or just an ear to listen. "It's not the easiest work but it's moments like these that make me feel so proud to be a Red Cross volunteer."

After nine days of intense work, she returned home. Lisa says it was amazing to see the outpouring of support from community partners and Red Cross donors. Being a Disaster Management volunteer gives her great satisfaction to help others in their time of need. And though she has worked in some extreme conditions she says, "It gives me fulfilment in my heart to be able to pay it forward."