Immediately after Hurricane Matthew struck Haiti on October 4, the Haiti Red Cross Society and other Red Cross partners rushed staff and volunteers to the worst affected communities to assess needs and deliver emergency assistance. Canadian Red Cross aid delegate Dr. Lynda Redwood-Campbell was part of an IFRC assessment team that was among the first to reach many storm-battered towns and villages and had a key role in supporting the health response that followed, in coordination with Haiti’s Ministry of Health, the Haiti Red Cross and other health responders. These are some of her reflections:
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“Wintery mix” weather forecasts. Icy road conditions. Christmas shopping rush. Public transportation delays. Rising grocery prices... It all sounds like home to me and I’ve dearly missed it here! I’m catching up with friends and family, enjoying good company and the simple pleasures of life in Montreal – what I have missed most while on mission in South Sudan.
There are various ways to celebrate the holiday season and many use decorations such as trees, lights and candles to show a festive spirit. Lighting candles, stringing ornaments, decking trees all make for merry holidays with friends and family, but it’s important to be aware of accidents at this time of year. Every year, common incidents include falling off ladders while hanging lights or decorations, cutting hands or fingers with scissors while wrapping or assembling toys, as well as electrical shocks.
Spirits were high from the first few moments of the aid distribution in Jérémie, Haiti, when Red Cross volunteers and staff provided residents with much-needed tarps and hygiene kits.
Prior to the distribution, Red Cross teams visited the city to identify those left most vulnerable after Hurricane Matthew and ensured that their immediate needs were met.
It’s easy to see that red is Joy Geizer’s favourite colour. Her winter coat is red. Her car is red. All her Christmas ornaments are red. A disaster management volunteer for seven years, Joy stopped by the Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Red Cross office to talk about her passion for helping others while balancing her life as a full-time working mom in the health industry.
Did you know you can find lots of gift ideas online through Shop Red Cross? Instead of buying your brother yet another ugly Christmas sweater, why not give him an emergency preparedness kit with essential items in case of a disaster.
Think of it as a way of showing how much you care about him and his family. It’s also reassuring to know they will be ready in an emergency.
A pilot project that would see the installation of underwater cameras in three Edmonton pools is expected to get underway by 2017. Participants at the 7th annual Alberta Red Cross Water Safety Conference in Edmonton in October learned about the initiative. “We are always striving to improve water safety in Canada,” says Sarah Jackson, Red Cross Water Safety Representative for northern Alberta and NWT. “Conferences like this are a great opportunity to learn from each other.”
It takes a long time to grow an old friend.
You could call it the unofficial motto of the Dilke Red Cross Society, with close-knit friendships being one of the reasons why the organization has lasted the test of time.
The group from the small Saskatchewan community of Dilke is celebrating 100 years this year.