Aid agencies work ‘miracles’ on both sides of the river
As a violent storm ripped through the national capital region Friday night, leaving hundreds displaced, aid agencies rallied to help people on both sides of the river.
“It’s devastation,” said Maryse Gaudreault, the MNA for Hull. “It’s devastating when you hear that that many roofs and buildings were swept away by this tornado, and you think about the people inside.”
In Gatineau, firefighters put out a fire that broke out in École secondaire Mont-Bleu after the storm. There was also significant damage to a number of buildings along Boulevard Cité-des-Jeunes, mostly roofing blown off. Police issued a statement asking residents to stay indoors and off the road while damage is assessed and debris removed from the streets.
The municipality brought in STO buses to evacuate people from damaged homes in the Mont-Bleu area and was taking them to emergency shelters at area schools.
At the CEGEP de L’Outaouais Gabrielle Roy campus, displaced Gatineau residents were arriving by the busload in a steady stream. Gaudreault estimated there were upwards of 500 or 600 displaced Gatineau residents.
She said politicians at all levels were working to provide shelter to the displaced, but said hotel vacancies in Ottawa and Gatineau were next to non-existent because it is the Army Run weekend.
But aid agencies rose to the occasion, she said.
“People from the Red Cross are doing miracles tonight. They are here to register everyone, to make sure we can have the right number of people who need help. We’re going to bring them water, food and we’re going to see where we can install beds.”
In Ottawa, both the Salvation Army and Red Cross were working full tilt, with emergency-response teams rushed to the worst-hit parts of the city.
“We’re in Dunrobin, where we’re setting up the canteen truck to provide nutrition and hydration to anyone affected by the storm as well as all the first responders and volunteers,” said Salvation Army spokesman Glenn van Gulik.
Much of the job is keeping emergency workers fed and watered, but residents who can’t go to their homes or don’t feel safe in them are welcome, he said.
“Even some of the neighbours who have been traumatized by this sort of thing. It’s only been a year since the floods,” van Gulik said.
Depending on what they need, the Salvation Army either provides or helps find clothing, food, places to sleep, or ways for people to contact family. “Many times people run out, they don’t even have a cellphone on them.”
The Salvation Army was still dealing with the crisis Friday night and didn’t yet have any need for any particular supplies, he said.
“We have an emergency-response team of volunteers at the West Carleton High School,” said David Fraser, a disaster-management volunteer with the Red Cross. A lot of the aid offered, at least at first, is just comfort.
“Basically, being a good listener to how they’re feeling and giving them as much encouragement that this will be OK,” he said. “You’re going to have a roof over your head, you’re going to get fed.”