Photo of the Day: Red Cross flag reaches the North Pole

On April 9, 2013, the Red Cross flag reached the northernmost point on the Earth. How cool! In celebration of 150 years of humanitarian action and the establishment of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Lebanese international desert runner, Ali Wehbi, proposed to raise the Red Cross flag at the North Pole while participating in an international race.

President of the Lebanese Red Cross, Suzanne Oueiss, handed the Red Cross flag off to Ali before he departed on his 6 hour trek through freezing temperatures. Pictured above, you can see Ali with the Red Cross flag when he reached the North Pole.

The Lebanese Red Cross presented Ali Wehbi with a medal of honour as a token of gratitude. Ali Wehbi will also have a national athletic program organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross in cooperation with the Lebanese Red Cross that will run from June 25-29, where he will make a tour all over the Lebanese provinces in order to spread the humanitarian principles of the Red Cross with the slogan, “150 years and running”.

Ali Wehbi is the first Lebanese and only Arab ever to complete the 4 Deserts race. The race takes place in the hottest, coldest, windiest and driest places on earth.

Way to go Ali!

Photo of the Day: Tornado response and tips to prepare

Photo Credit: Talia Frenkel/American Red Cross

Disaster response teams with the American Red Cross have been working tirelessly to provide relief to those affected by tornadoes and severe weather in Oklahoma. In this photo Red Cross volunteer Angela Clemins hugs Moore resident Donna Giedrocz. Giedrocz has spent the day clearing debris from her home and expresses gratitude at the warm meal Clemins has brought her. The Red Cross is accepting donations to help disaster relief in Oklahoma and the midwest.

In Canada, tornadoes typically occur in southern Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, the interior of British Columbia, and western New Brunswick. While tornadoes can strike any time of year, June and July tend to be peak seasons due to weather conditions. Regardless of their size, tornadoes have the ability to do a lot of damage but according to a recent Red Cross survey, two thirds of Canadians have not taken steps to prepare for a disaster like a tornado.

We want you to #beready for any emergency! Here are some tips on how to prepare for a tornado and what to do if a tornado watch or warning is issued for your community.

The Red Cross Round-up

The Round-up offers a weekly sample of what our sister Red Cross Societies are working on around the world.

SYRIA: The Syrian Arab Red Crescent is supporting a project to provide a range of services, including child protection and psychosocial support, in areas affected by conflict. The child protection unit works with displaced families in cities across Syria who may be traumatized or vulnerable and uses a range of techniques to help children deal with the effects of the conflict. The staff are able to recognize problems as they arise and offer real solutions.

UNITED STATES: The American Red Cross is helping people in the Midwest with shelter, food, relief supplies and emotional comfort after tornadoes and severe weather destroyed homes and left thousands without power.  As many as 26 tornadoes were reported in Oklahoma, Kansas, Illinois and Iowa, according to the National Weather Service. Hardest hit is Oklahoma, where severe tornadoes ripped through several counties, destroying or damaging hundreds of homes and leaving as many as 35,000 without power. Canadians can support Red Cross response efforts by donating to the 2013 Tornadoes and Severe Weather USA fund.

Photo of the day: Edmonton grabs a flotation device

Red Cross office in Edmonton sports their lifejackets at work.

Here’s our team in Edmonton helping spread the word! This year 166 people will drown while boating.

Always wear your lifejacket and make every outing a return trip. Of those who drown, 88% are not wearing, or are not properly wearing a lifejacket or personal flotation device (PFD). Boaters feel safe just having a lifejacket nearby. But when something goes wrong, you won’t have time to put it on. A lifejacket can save your life – but only if you wear it. Just like our Edmonton team.

Photo of the Day: Today is National Lifejacket Day!

Today, May 16 is National Lifejacket Day! Pictured above, the members of the National First Aid, Swimming and Water Safety team model their lifejackets in Kelowna for National Lifejacket Day.

Did you know that 88 per cent of Canadians who drown are not wearing a lifejacket, or not wearing one properly? We know that lifejackets save lives, but do you use them the right way, all the time? Do you take your lifejacket off when the boat stops, when you’ve moving slowly, or if its nice out? Lifejackets come in many shapes and sizes, and they don’t have to interfere with your comfort, or your tan lines. Properly worn lifejackets save countless lives every year in Canada. As the long weekend approaches, remember to wear your lifejacket while participating in any activities on the water at your cottage or campground.

To learn more about lifejacket wear and boating safety visit the Canadian Red Cross website and don’t forget- as a part of National Lifejacket Day, you can enter to win a family pack of four lifejackets. Visit our contest page to find out how!

The Red Cross Round-up

The Round-up offers a weekly sample of what our sister Red Cross Societies are working on around the world.

CHINA: The province of Sichuan in south-western China hit the headlines in April with a magnitude 7 earthquake, which killed nearly 200 people and made thousands more homeless.  The timing of this earthquake was significant: it struck just before the fifth anniversary of the earthquake on 12 May 2008, which claimed more than 80,000 lives and destroyed more than 90 per cent of homes in some areas. In response to the 2008 earthquake, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement supported the rebuilding of homes for hundreds of thousands of people, as well as schools and hospitals, and provided psychosocial support for those affected. And work continues today to provide vocational training and micro loans that are helping transform people’s lives.

SINGAPORE: In June 2011, the Singapore Red Cross began operating a Day Activity Centre to provide care and support to people suffering from disabilities.  The centre provides social, physiotherapy and occupational therapy activities to develop the cognitive, social and motor skills of clients. It is a valuable option for families who cannot hire full-time nurses or caregivers, allowing them to take up full-time work and gain an additional source of income, while maintaining peace of mind about their family members.

MALI: In northern Mali, which has been experiencing armed conflict for nearly 16 months, hard-hit communities need better access to water. Since April 2012 the ICRC has been providing fuel to produce the electricity required to distribute much of the drinking water in three major cities.

GLOSSARY:

ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross

Help us help you be safe around water. Enter to win lifejackets!

With the May long-weekend fast approaching, the Red Cross and Mustang Survival have a special contest to help you get ready for another fun season of water activities.

We know many of you will be looking forward to boating on the long weekend, but don’t forget to wear your life jacket! The sad reality is that too often when people have boating accidents, their lifejacket couldn’t help them because they didn’t have it on. Don’t forget to #WearIt.

Enter online to win one of 10 Mustang lifejacket family packs, and share with your family and friends the importance of wearing a lifejacket every time you’re on the water.