The James family were one of many households in Ottawa impacted by the Great Ice Storm of 1998. They managed through the many chilly nights without power but realized they could have been more prepared. Debbie made the decision, when the time was right, to join the Canadian Red Cross. When learning how to be better prepared for disasters, she also trained to be a responder to help others.
On September 21, 2018, when tornadoes tore through the Ottawa/Gatineau region, Debbie had volunteered with the Red Cross for 13 years. In that time, she had responded to over 100 individual emergencies and supported Canadians impacted by large-scale disasters like the Alberta Floods and Fort McMurray Fires.
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Shawn Gervais and his family received two alerts on their cell phones before the tornado hit – one warned them of high winds, the next one told them to take shelter immediately. Now the family is recovering from the disaster, with help from the Canadian Red Cross.
In Canada, tornadoes can happen in southern Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, the interior of British Columbia and western New Brunswick.
So, what should you do to be ready for a tornado?
Disaster is not new to Nancy Hollman. Imagine a stormy, grey, summer afternoon. On her bed with her two and a half year old son, Hollman was suddenly thrown to the floor and covered in debris. It was July 31, 1987. A tornado had just demolished her Edmonton home. 27 people died, but Nancy and her child survived to be rescued from the rubble. Almost 30 years later, Nancy is now working with the Canadian Red Cross, meeting with people who lost their homes just three months ago, in the Alberta wildfires.
Last summer, we had a few tornado scares in Southern Alberta. Working at the Red Cross, I felt as though I was prepared to stay safe. However, I learned that there are actually a lot of myths around tornado safety. Learn more about some of the most common ones.
Summer brings warmer weather but also an increase in frequency of tornado warnings and watches. On average, Canada gets 62 tornadoes a year and they can have devastating effects on homes and communities. Do you know the difference between a tornado watch and warning? Are you prepared if there is a tornado in your region?
I have family in Oklahoma which means that I have been keeping a close eye on all the recent tornado activity. I also know that we are in tornado season here on the prairies. Being a good little Red Crosser, I am all over the tip sheets and sprea...
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....