Red Cross update on Saskatchewan flooding

Flood water in Crooked Lake, SK impacts many homes. Photo credit: Ryan Crouse

It's been a busy summer here in Saskatchewan, in case you missed it, we had some major flooding at the end of June. By the time the flood waters receded 154 communities had declared a state of emergency, including 17 First Nation communities. Many people were forced from their homes because of sewer contamination and/or power outages.

Diane, a Red Cross volunteer, helps people in Melville, SK who have been impacted by the flooding.

When families were forced from their homes, the Red Cross made sure they had a safe place to sleep, clothes, food, water and other essential items (like toothbrushes, sanitary items, etc.). In Saskatchewan, the Red Cross has a partnership with the provincial government to do this on their behalf when large groups are affected by a disaster. Now that most families are back in their homes, Red Cross workers are meeting with them on a case-by-case basis to help them identify what is needed to return their lives to normal. The Red Cross helps them with things like replacing household goods and repair, school needs, transportation and occupational items to help people return to work. The Red Cross also works with whole communities to help them recover from disasters too.

On Monday, September 22, the Red Cross Community Projects Grant Program was launched. This grant program is intended to help strengthen community resiliency, capacity and overall quality of life for those impacted by recent flooding. Affected communities will be able to use the grant program to help reinforce or repair local services damaged by the flooding such as sport, recreational and cultural facilities. Community-led projects like restoring a community park, repairing damaged rink equipment, or acquiring generators to prepare for the next disaster are examples of projects that may be eligible for grants.

Recovering from disasters is always a long process but hopefully the Red Cross, with support from generous partners and donors, can help build stronger more resilient communities that are less susceptible to future disasters.

We encourage you to learn how to prepare your family for a disaster here. You can also donate to support Red Cross disaster relief efforts in Canada.