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Mary Teresa Shalala, or Teri to her friends, has been a Walmart associate in Vaudreuil-Dorion for eight years. While the mother of four works evenings and nights taking inventory, her 33-year-old son Élie Langevin is often busy helping people affected by disasters. Despite their differing realities, they share something beyond a family bond: a passion for helping disaster victims. Teri does so through her employer, which has supported the Canadian Red Cross for 14 years, and Élie volunteers for the organization in Quebec.

When a health emergency happens to someone in your presence, it can be overwhelming on many levels. It can be quite shocking to witness someone choking, having a heart attack or diabetic emergency. Everyday emergencies can include broken bones, bleeding, burns, allergic reactions, and seizures to name a few. However, to help improve your ability to help in such an emergency, it helps to be prepared with first aid – this knowledge could help you save someone’s life!

Your child is being bullied. You want to do everything you can to help her to feel safe and loved, but you’re not quite sure what to do or what to say. Here are a few tips.

Have your say in a short survey on first aid, available in 19 languages, to help us learn what common health situations are experienced by the general public. The first of its kind, this survey aims to gather information on the most common accidents and health emergencies people are facing and if first aid techniques were provided – with or without first aid skills.

In today’s digital world, many of us realize how helpful technology is to our daily lives. Whether we’re mapping destinations, ordering food, making plans, even banking, our smart phones offer a lot of convenience in our hands. But have you thought about how this technology could help save your life or the life of another in an emergency?

In late November 2016, the Ecuadorian Red Cross, with support from the Magen David Adom (MDA), the Israeli National Red Cross Society, conducted mass-casualty incident (MCI) training in Ecuador. An MCI is a situation – natural or man-made – where emergency crews become overwhelmed by the number of casualties. Many Red Cross National Societies respond to MCIs in their home countries; these Societies then share their knowledge with other Societies to improve their response capabilities.

As Canadians, we know winter storms, including blizzards, ice storms and extreme cold, are common this time of year. Some of the risks related to winter weather include extended power outages, treacherous driving conditions and frigid temperatures. Are you and your family prepared for a weather-related emergency?

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.