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Tragic events, like the bus accident which resulted in multiple deaths and injuries to the Humboldt Broncos hockey team can leave us feeling  helpless, confused, angry, or worried. It is difficult to understand why things like this happen, or what it means for the future. In times like this, it is important for people to connect with each other, and support one another. Here are some tips. 

The people of Eastern Ghouta have had to endure weeks, months and even years of fighting.
I had the opportunity to visit two of the camps that are now hosting thousands of people who are not only hungry and in many cases sick, but also tired. Tired of living in conflict. Tired of not being able to live a normal life.

Even when kids wear flotation devices and water wings, the water can quickly become a source of stress for parents. That’s why the Red Cross strongly recommends signing kids up for swimming lessons when they are just months old.

The day after Christmas in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan this year was chilly: -35C chilly. Carmen, Jordy, one-year old Otis and the family cat decided to enjoy a fire in their fireplace to warm up. They didn’t know that a squirrel had been hoarding pinecones in their chimney. Their living room quickly filled with smoke and soon the roof of their old home was in flames. 

Six months ago, Hurricane Maria hit Dominica hard. The Category 5 hurricane brought torrential rain and winds of up to 250 kilometers per hour. Nearly the entire island was destroyed. Today, those impacted by the storm are working with the Red Cross to rebuild and recover. 

For the Canadian Red Cross, volunteers are the front line for communities when disaster strikes. 

This would be a challenging response, but it was also a response that the DRC Red Cross had been trained for as part of the Capacity Strengthening for Emergency Response in Africa initiative – now it was time to put their training into action. 

During two panel discussions – “Reporting from Conflict Zones” and “Reporting from the Middle East” – journalists Ray Homer, Lisa LaFlamme, Laura Lynch, Grant McDonald, Zein Almoghraby, Sylvène Gilchrist and Tara Sutton described their experiences working in some of the world’s most dangerous areas.