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At the beginning of September, I had the opportunity to travel to Prince George, B.C. in response to the B.C. Wildfires as a Communications Responder. During my time there, I had a chance to experience, support, and learn about the operations of a disaster response for the first time. If I had to describe my deployment experience in two words I’d say: eye-opening and fulfilling. Here are three insights that best capture my deployment experience:

Hurricane Florence made landfall in North Carolina on Friday, bringing with it significant amounts of rain that could threaten lives. It’s anticipated that the rain will cause serious flooding in North Carolina, South Carolina and surrounding states. With evacuation orders issued to more than a million people, it is estimated that as many as 100,000 may need emergency shelter. The American Red Cross is launching a massive emergency response.  

Here is the rest of humanitarian worker Jean-Baptiste Lacombe’s story of his mission in Bangladesh, where over 600,000 people have sought refuge in makeshift camps since August 2017.

Read how Red Crossers are sharing experiences and knowledge with fellow aid workers through a "shadow deployment" program, that lets aid workers learn first hand about responding to disasters and emergencies. 

On September 2, 1998, flight Swissair 111 crashed off Nova Scotia’s picturesque fishing village of Peggy’s Cove. An hour after taking off from New York bound for Geneva, a fire prompted an attempt to reach Halifax for an emergency landing but the airliner crashed in St. Margaret’s Bay, killing all 229 passengers and crew.

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!

A lot of Canadians enjoy outdoor activities from hiking or biking to camping and so much more that our beautiful country offers. While enjoying, however, keep in mind some factors to be aware of, such as sun, bugs and accidents, which can be more challenging to handle outside. Prevention is key, and planning properly for outdoor adventures can minimize risks to fully enjoy our country's nature!

​Jean-Baptiste Lacombe shares a touching account of his two missions in Bangladesh from January 3 to February 20, 2018, where more than 600,000 people have found refuge after fleeing the violence in Myanmar since summer 2017.