The Red Cross version of M*A*S*H

The Canadian Red Cross recently made an announcement that it is sending an Emergency Response Unit (ERU) to Pakistan. But what exactly is an ERU? We asked our Disaster Dude, John Saunders, to explain it to us. An Emergency Response Unit – or ERU if you are an acronym junkie – is a bit like [...]

Making sure your vehicle is ready

Driving along a remote portion of highway and your see your temperature gauge creeping higher and higher, steam coming out from under your hood, red lights on your dashboard.  You pull over to the side of the road in 30 degree heat.  Yep, you thought it would never happen to you, but you are stranded. [...]

Twittering about Emergency Preparedness

While the debate continues about the appropriate use of social media during an actual crisis, it seems that social media tools, such as Twitter, are generally proving to be important tools for disaster preparedness and awareness. I’ve been on Twitter (@CRCSaunders) for a few months now, and I can already see the benefits. The audience that [...]

Are you smarter than a 5th grader?

Are you smarter than a 5th grader? We all should be when it comes to emergency preparedness!   Families have an advantage over other Canadians when it comes to emergency preparedness and public safety.  If you have kids, I can guarantee you that you have a smoke detector, (possibly a CO2 detector as well), have a fire evacuation [...]