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.

High Fives! Social Ambassadors Receive Awards

Congrats to two of our Social Ambassadors Joallore Alon(@clickflickca) and Amber MacArthur (@ambermac) who both received Injury Prevention Awards at a special Red Cross awards ceremony!

Joallore was recognized for his support in helping the Red Cross train people in CPR and first-aid by hosting CPR tweet-up classes across the GTA as part of CPR Awareness Month in November. Joallore advocates the importance of CPR training in blogs for the Red Cross, as well as on his personal blog and builds awareness by sharing information on social media.

 

Amber was recognized for using her voice to reach tens of thousands of Canadians to advocate for the importance of first aid and water safety. Amber has worked with the Red Cross to create a special water safety video, as well as by blogging for the Red Cross and sharing injury prevention tips with her social networks. Amber is also first-aid trained and organized a CPR and first aid training event for parents.

 Congratulations to Joallore and Amber! 

Canadian Red Cross Celebrates World Red Cross Day

Staff at the Canadian Red Cross Sault Ste. Marie branch got their bake on in preparation of World Red Cross Day and our founder, Henri Dunant’s birthday. Almost 200 cupcakes were baked, decorated and individually packaged and are being sold at the Station Mall today. Proceeds from the cupcake sales will be going to the local Red Cross Branch to aid local programs.

In this photo from our Ottawa branch, Mayor Jim Watson helped celebrate Red Cross Day by officially proclaiming May 8th as World Red Cross Day in Ottawa.

Thanks to everyone who helped celebrate World Red Cross Day with us!

Volunteer Spotlight: Kim joins the social media team!

Kim (or @gingermommy as she’s known online) knows firsthand what it’s like to experience an emergency in her community. Having lived on Vancouver Island, Kim was once without power and running water for 10 days, and has witnessed how few families are actually prepared for emergencies.

Kim has been a Red Cross supporter for over 20 years and is happy to be part of an international organization known for helping those affected by emergencies; even providing assistance to those in her own community.

Canadian Red Cross is happy to welcome Kim as the newest member of our Social Media Team! Our social media team helps by sharing key updates with their social networks to help communities learn the latest information from the Red Cross.

Emergency Preparedness Week: Are You Prepared?

It has certainly been a busy spring for the Canadian Red Cross and its team of dedicated volunteers. In the past few months, we have responded to Hurricane Sandy, ice storms in Ontario, flooding in Ontario, and personal disasters like house fires and power outages. With volunteers on standby in Manitoba due to the potential for severe flooding and Atlantic Canada bracing for hurricanes, it doesn’t look like our work will be slowing down any time soon either! All of these recent events have really reminded us of the need for families to be prepared for these types of local emergencies and disasters that could affect any Canadian communities.

Knowledge + plans + build a kit = Preparedness!

This is the theme of this year’s Emergency Preparedness Week, May 5-11, 2013 to bring awareness and encourage Canadians to know the risks in their community. We want Canadians to know the risks, make a plan, get an emergency kit, and be prepared!

To help our readers #beready, we’re giving away four ETON weather radios to add to your emergency kit:

ETON MicroLink FR 170 Weather Radio – AM/FM Weather Radio with USB cell phone charger that receives audio broadcasts issued by Environment Canada on weather warnings and alerts. Includes built-in LED flashlight and USB cell phone charger. Powered by solar panel and dynamo crank. (Retail value: $36.95)

ETON SolarLink FR 370 Weather Radio– enhanced weather radio that receives audio broadcasts from Environment Canada filtering only broadcasts that affect your area. Also includes an alarm clock. (Retail value: $67.95)

How to win:

•     Do you know the risks for disaster in your home or neighbourhood? Comment on this blog post with what those risks are and the Canadian Red Cross will help you be prepared with an emergency solar powered crank weather radio.

•     Are you prepared? Post a photo, video, or blog to your social networks demonstrating one thing you have done with your family to prepare for a disaster. Remember to tag @redcrosscanada and use #beready in it to win!

Contest closes Sunday, May 12, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Contest open to Canadian residents only. 

The Canadian Red Cross has many helpful resources to help you plan for an emergency. To learn more about how to make an emergency plan, what to pack in an emergency kit, and about the risks in your area, visit www.redcross.ca/prepare

Food Friday: A Recipe for Fundraising Success

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A team of Red Crossers from Toronto are on a roll with their fundraising efforts for the Mississauga Marathon. The recipe to their success: Jean, Samantha, Radmila, and Erin hosted a lunch where they served handmade vietnamese vegetarian spring rolls in exchange for a donation. The healthy homemade lunch will help to support Canadian Red Cross programs and services. 

Photo of the Day: Mantracker

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The Canadian Red Cross recently attended the NorthWest Response Forum for first responders in Dryden, Ontario. The three day event boasted Terry Grant, “The Real Mantracker”, as a keynote speaker. Grant’s show, Mantracker, is a Canadian reality television show which features two individuals (called “prey”) that attempt to avoid capture by Mantracker (Terry Grant) and survive in the wilderness. The prey use basic survival skills and a predetermined kit of gear that they will need in order to reach the finish line which varies from 20-60km away. The skills and gear used by the “prey” are similar to what you may find in a lot of emergency kits, including a first aid kit, a compass, flashlight, and other essentials.

Volunteer Spotlight: Red Cross Welcomes Volunteer Judi Samuels to the Social Media Team!

Introducing the newest member of the Canadian Red Cross Social Media Team, Judi Samuels! The Social Media Team is made up of social media users who use their social networks to help spread the word about the work of the Red Cross. In a disaster, the social media team helps us share accurate information across social media networks.

Judi – or @chieflemonhead on Twitter - has been connected to the Canadian Red Cross since she was 5 years old working her way through swimming lessons at her community pool. Eventually, Judi went on to take water safety and lifeguarding courses and as she waited for her time to stand poolside, she took courses in Standard and Instructor-level first aid.

As a strong proponent of volunteerism, Judi has donated her time to the Canadian Red Cross in a number of different capacities, including fundraising for programs and specific appeals and providing first aid support at community events. Her work currently focuses on using her skills in marketing, communications, and branding to help local branches.

For me, volunteering is the least I can do for an organization that has done so much for me in terms of providing me friendships, skills and values that I embrace today in everything I do. It is the least I can do for an organization that helps Canadians and citizens world-wide in all situations. I deeply believe in what the Canadian Red Cross does from education to distress services and beyond.

As part of National Volunteer Week we would like to thank volunteers like Judi who have volunteered their time with the Canadian Red Cross. To find out about volunteer opportunities in your city visit redcross.ca.

Photo of the Day: Red Cross Responds to Ontario Ice Storm

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On Friday morning, most of southern Ontario woke up to an ice storm that rolled in overnight and continued to blast the province with icy weather much into the weekend. The freezing rain and high winds combined knocked down power lines causing power outages across Ontario. Canadian Red Cross volunteers helped to ensure that residents were keeping safe and warm inside their homes and supported regional warming centres in Dufferin County and the Region of Waterloo for those affected by the power outage. Power has been restored to most areas of southern and eastern Ontario while storm cleanup continues in some areas.

 

Photo of the Day: Timmins Girl Guides Learn Personal Preparedness

A group of Girl Guides in Timmins, Ontario received a visit from Serenna Besserer, a disaster management coordinator, to learn more about personal preparedness. The Girl Guides have always focused on developing the skills they need to be prepared in an emergency. The program is essential to building confidence and teaching the Girl Guides and their families how to be prepared for a disaster or emergency in their home or community.