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Now that I occasionally rent out my cottage, I often get messages from guests who can’t find a switch or get the Apple TV to work. That’s nothing new. But when a woman texted me at 4 a.m. to tell me that the power was out and she couldn’t find the flashlight, I realized that my safety instructions were a little light on detail. Would people know what to do if there was a fire? Did they know where to shut off the water and find the first aid kit?

Meet Erwan Cheneval, a rapid response manager with the Canadian Red Cross. Erwan works to address some of the challenges that happen when mobilizing humanitarian operations, details that are extremely important to the success of these operations. 

Disasters and emergencies, like the spring flooding that’s currently impacting Canadians across the country, put a lot of stress on people who are affected.  It’s important to remember that living through a disaster or emergency is extremely stressful, and because of that it’s totally normal to feel extremely stressed out. 

In the days and months that followed the wild fire, we saw an incredible outpouring of support from across Canada. And throughout the past year we have seen just how resilient the people in the Fort McMurray area are. But, as many are aware, the work is not yet over.

This can make a person wonder...

It’s been a year; why aren’t things back to normal?

In honour of National Volunteer week, we’re taking a closer look at the fundamental principle of voluntary service. This principle is very basic, but it has a huge impact on the Red Cross and Red Crescent, because there is no way we could do the work that we do without our volunteers. 

Nearly one year later, how your donations have helped people recover and rebuild following the devastating wildfires in Alberta. 

When people are facing an emergency or disaster, there’s a natural desire to seek as much information as one can find, as there’s an urgency to take action. Knowledge is empowering. It helps people make the best possible decision for their family, such as how to prepare for the disaster, whether to evacuate, when to remain safely at home, where to go, and what services are available. Knowledge also alleviates fear of the unknown.

The Red Cross and Red Crescent movement is governed by seven fundamental principles. Today we're taking a closer look at the principle of independence, and why it is important to our work in Canada and around the world.