Individuals and businesses across Canada raised $30 million for the Canadian Red Cross just three days after a raging wildfire in Fort McMurray forced its 88,000 residents to evacuate on May 3.
“This is a Canadian moment,” Canadian Red Cross vice-president for Alberta and the Northwest Territories, Jenn McManus, said during a media teleconference on May 6.
“The amount of funds that have been donated to the Canadian Red Cross is beyond exceptional,” she said.
“This disaster has emotionally moved people from Labrador and Newfoundland, Iqaluit to Whitehorse to Victoria. And the international attention on this disaster is significant.”
She said of the $30 million, $24 million was raised by individuals and $6 million was raised by businesses.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the Government of Canada will match every dollar donated to the Canadian Red Cross by individuals from May 3 to 31 with no financial cap.
Premier Rachel Notley said the Government of Alberta will do the same.
“In essence, the Government of Alberta, the Government of Canada, with donations by Canadians, will be a times three-dollar value based on the gift of a Canadian individual,” said McManus.
The Government of Saskatchewan is also donating $250,000, she said, adding a one-day radiothon in Saskatchewan on May 5 raised $700,000 for the cause.
She said Canadian Red Cross officials are working at various emergency centres in Lac La Biche, Edmonton and Calgary and have activated three call centres in Canada to support evacuees.
“We are working closely with the Government of Alberta in the provincial operations centre to operationalize gift cards to evacuees and we are also working on mobilizing cots and blankets and hygiene kits as the land convoys start to work their way into Calgary,” she said.
“We're seeing evacuees in Lethbridge, Calgary, Red Deer, Edmonton and Lac La Biche right now.”
When comparing the disaster to the Southern Alberta floods in 2013, she said 100,000 people were impacted by the floods.
“Not everybody that was impacted was in congregate shelters and on the move. We now have a population of 80,000-plus people on the move,” she said.
“So the significance of this disaster is that the sheer volume of movement, of people moving is very, very different.
“And the speed in which this unfolded was, it's just very challenging and very different to a flood.
“This probably will be Canada's largest natural disaster, related to fire for sure, if not natural disasters, all categories,” she said.
A total of $43.3 million was raised for the Canadian Red Cross during the 2013 floods and McManus said the Fort McMurray fire, aside from government contributions, will likely surpass that.
“And to date the Southern Alberta floods appeal was the largest domestic appeal in our society's history,” she said.
Although some organizations across the province and even outside of the province are accepting in-kind material donations for evacuees, McManus said the Canadian Red Cross is only accepting financial donations.
“At this point, our operational best practice is not to accept in-kind donations,” she said.
“They are very, very cumbersome to operationalize and require logistics and personnel.
“We want to get helping people on the ground and not spending time sorting through in-kind donations; there's just other priorities that come to play.”
People can donate to the Canadian Red Cross by calling 1-800-418-1111 or online at redcross.ca. People can also text REDCROSS to 30333 to donate $5.
Evacuees or concerned community members who are trying to locate family or other loved ones are asked to call 1-888-350-6070.
Evacuees are also asked to register their whereabouts with the Canadian Red Cross online.
"This probably will be Canada's largest natural disaster, related to fire for sure, if not natural disasters, all categories."Jenn McManus,Canadian Red Cross
