Life Is Not Purgatory
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Red Cross
Last week there was an apartment fire that gutted the middle suites of a 48-unit Clairview tenement building, destroying 6 from fire and the rest from water damage. Work had received a call from the Red Cross inquiring about rates, my assistant went to the hotel and I went in search of the fire (after we had both been told it was an apartment complex and a hotel on fire). So I arrived on site just as we established communications again with the Red Cross. I spent the better part of two hours on site with the Red Cross as the tried to register the evacuees and herd them (like cats) onto waiting ETS buses to be taken to the hotel where they would be fed and have a place to stay for the next three night until Emergency Social Services gets its act together and kicks in. This was all volunteer and donation driven, and the volunteers I met were excelent people. When we returned to the hotel Adam Conway, Disaster Services Coodinator - Central and Northern Alberta, and an acquaintence of mine was there coordinating the efforts with my assitant at the hotel. He was beside himself that I actually drove to the site to help relocate these people.
I've been mulling over the idea of returning to the St. John Ambulance Brigade, but I think I've found something I'd like to do better - and I've already spoken with Adam and I'll be in with the next training regimen in the fall.
On a political note, while there are selfless volunteers like Al, Janice and others, there are also those who create disaster for thier own ends:
"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."
- George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States of America at a cermony for the signing of the 2005 Department of Defence's Appropriations Act.
Last week there was an apartment fire that gutted the middle suites of a 48-unit Clairview tenement building, destroying 6 from fire and the rest from water damage. Work had received a call from the Red Cross inquiring about rates, my assistant went to the hotel and I went in search of the fire (after we had both been told it was an apartment complex and a hotel on fire). So I arrived on site just as we established communications again with the Red Cross. I spent the better part of two hours on site with the Red Cross as the tried to register the evacuees and herd them (like cats) onto waiting ETS buses to be taken to the hotel where they would be fed and have a place to stay for the next three night until Emergency Social Services gets its act together and kicks in. This was all volunteer and donation driven, and the volunteers I met were excelent people. When we returned to the hotel Adam Conway, Disaster Services Coodinator - Central and Northern Alberta, and an acquaintence of mine was there coordinating the efforts with my assitant at the hotel. He was beside himself that I actually drove to the site to help relocate these people.
I've been mulling over the idea of returning to the St. John Ambulance Brigade, but I think I've found something I'd like to do better - and I've already spoken with Adam and I'll be in with the next training regimen in the fall.
On a political note, while there are selfless volunteers like Al, Janice and others, there are also those who create disaster for thier own ends:
"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."
- George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States of America at a cermony for the signing of the 2005 Department of Defence's Appropriations Act.
:: posted by Lazarus, 3:13 PM
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