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Today is the 5^th anniversary of the Slave Lake fire. http://www.nadc.ca/Docs/Wisdom-Gained.pdf Wisdom Gained: The Town of Slave Lake shares its reflections on recovery from the 2011 wildfire is a 42-page review on the story of Slave Lake’s disaster relief and recovery. It is a jargon-free account of what worked and what did not. Wisdom Gained is the how-to guide to rebuild a Canadian community in 3 years. It’s also a fascinating peek at how charities help in a Canadian disaster with useful insights for donors to give intelligently.  Let’s learn from the past to best help Fort McMurray’s recovery.  
Key giving tips from Slave Lake fire:

• Donate cash to help the township and its local charities – Salvation Army, foodbanks, community centres
• Do NOT send donated goods
• Know the local needs of the community
• Do not show up to help without checking in with the township who is leading the recovery and do not expect the township to provide you with room and board while you do your charity work.

… NGOs can sometimes stand in the way of effective assisting with recovery.”

Wisdom Gained has an entire section on donations. Giving stuff hurt Slave Lake’s recovery. Donations show donors care and lets those hit by a disaster know that they are not alone. But donate cash, not stuff. Slave Lake was inundated with donations of stuff. Pallets of items arrived in the town, truckloads of clothes, furniture and household items. Sorting and storing these goods was very labour intensive. This created an enormous burden on Slave Lake when energy was needed elsewhere. Around 75% of the goods that arrived could not be used. Slave Lake, already in a cash-flow crunch (municipal infrastructure like fire hydrants and side walks were not covered by insurance, disaster relief funding had not yet arrived), had to pay the unexpected additional disposal cost of getting rid of these donations.  
Ironically, while Slave Lake was awash in donated stuff, its local charities suffered during the recovery. “Regular donations to the Salvation Army, food bank and the Friendship Centre were down drastically during this time as the focus was on those affected by the disaster.” The town’s volunteers were all in high demand (maybe sorting stuff?). This made it harder for Slave Lake’s most vulnerable to get help.
Cash donations also maintain the dignity, pride and freedom of the recipients. Nobody wants to receive charity. The people of Slave Lake found the sudden turn of the tables psychologically hard. Just weeks before they were giving to charities, now they were receiving charity.  
This was also hard for charities working in Slave Lake to grasp. Most of Slave Lake’s homeowners were well-insured and an estimated 75% did not miss a pay cheque. Yet they had needs. All those affected by a disaster have needs. “Initially, the Red Cross had a hard time justifying support for these families because these were not its typical clients.” Learning the needs of Slave Lake, the Red Cross modified its ways of doing things. The Red Cross provided support services for two years after the fire and funded community initiatives from the donations it received.
Wisdom Gained recollects that many NGO’s were less involved in the recovery of Slave Lake for a variety of reasons, including the high level of government support and involvement, and due to these NGO’s lacking local knowledge on Slave Lake’s people and needs.
Wisdom Gained’s checklist delineates its local charities and outside charities. For effectively helping in a recovery, it recommends townships:

• Delay arrival of outside NGOs into the community until you are ready for them.
• Ensure outside NGOs have realistic expectations and understand the need.
• Pick a local organization to accept cash donations for the town’s recovery efforts.
• Include information about donations in early public communications.
• Arrange with one or more outside organizations to run a physical donations centre.
• Encourage ongoing donations to charities such as the food bank and Salvation Army.
• Encourage organizations who have received donations to work together to select worthwhile community projects.

Wisdom Gained mentions 5 main charities that came into Slave Lake and provided services:

• the Canadian Red Cross interviewed and assessed people’s needs, assisted with finances, referrals, accommodation and provided psychological support to children and families. Donations funded school lunches and recreation for children and have supported many other community projects,
• the Salvation Army provided a mobile truck with meals,
• Samaritan’s Purse helped clean up debris from the fire and floods,
• Mennonite Disaster Services came prepared to search through rubble and rebuild houses; since neither of these were options, it helped Samaritan’s Purse in general cleanup,
• The Billy Graham Evangelical Association of Canada had trained counsellors who provided emotional support.

“If volunteer agencies called saying they needed food, accommodation, showers, they were advised not to come.”
Many other NGOs showed up unannounced and uninvited in Slave Lake and did not check in with the township that led recovery efforts. If you are thinking about going to Fort McMurray to help out, don’t ask for room and board, check in to see if there’s a need that matches your expertise, and don’t get in the way.
Wisdom Gained’s checklist is a nearly complete recovery manual except it forgets to provide Kensington Palace’s telephone number. Will and Kate’s royal visit was a highlight community event lifting Slave Lake’s spirits. Disaster recovery is far more than building new houses; it is rebuilding a whole community’s strength and resilience to adjust to the new normal.
On this 5^th year anniversary, congratulations Slave Lake. Fort McMurray’s recovery will be even better if we act on Slave Lake’s wisdom.
 
http://www.nadc.ca/Docs/Wisdom-Gained.pdf Wisdom Gained: The Town of Slave Lake shares its reflections on recovery from the 2011 wildfire, compiled by the Northern Alberta Development Council (NADC) at the request of the Town of Slave Lake (2013) 
 

 
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Canadian Red Cross announces another $25 million in money transfers to Fort McMurray evacuees, on top of previous $50 million

 
May 31, 2016: In another unprecedented move, the Canadian Red Cross announced yesterday an additional $25 million transfer to all Fort McMurray area evacuees. The first person in a household will receive $300, each additional family member will receive $50. A family of four will therefore receive $450. This money will be electronically transferred to all evacuees after they have registered at one of several Fort McMurray information centres on re-entry. The staggered re-entry of residents begins June 1, 2016.
To date, Canadians have donated $112 million to the Canadian Red Cross beforematching government funds. This is the largest donor response to a Canadian disaster, topping the $45 million donated for Alberta Floods in 2013. Donations will continue to rise, albeit at a slower pace. Charity Intelligence estimates total donations to the Canadian Red Cross (before matching donations) will reach $140 million – three times greater than support for the Alberta Floods.  
This direct financial aid is unprecedented in Canadian disaster relief efforts. The Canadian Red Cross has paid out, and will pay out shortly, $75 million in direct cash payments to all Fort McMurray area evacuees. The evacuees in the Alberta Floods of 2013, Lac Megantic, and the Slave Lake Wildfire did not receive similar direct cash payments.
Direct cash payments are the evidence-based best way to help those hit by disaster get back on their feet. Direct cash payments treat all disaster victims equally and maintain their dignity. It is psychologically difficult for people who have been givers to charities suddenly to be receivers of charity. Providing cash lets each person freely meet his and her individual needs.
In addition, the Canadian Red Cross will provide transportation aid to help residents return to Fort McMurray. This includes chartered busses from Edmonton, Lac La Biche and Calgary, airplane tickets for residents from all points across Canada, and gas money for those driving cars, trucks and other vehicles. The Canadian Red Cross estimates this transportation aid will cost $15 million.
As evacuees return to Fort McMurray they will also receive the typical Canadian Red Cross support: each household will receive relief supplies (bucket, cleaning supplies, respirator mask, gloves, flashlight and batteries). The Canadian Red Cross has provided a list of these relief items that is far more extensive than relief supplies provided in previous disasters. Those with urgent needs will be individually assessed by the Canadian Red Cross for additional financial support for rent and mortgage payments, food, clothing, and household goods.
The Canadian Red Cross is helping Fort McMurray’s businesses through covering all the costs of a hot line. This hotline will provide updates for Fort McMurray businesses and link them to resources to help with recovery issues. There will be a future survey that will help allocate resources. 
 
Moving from disaster relief to recovery
In the transition from disaster relief to recovery, attention needs to be paid to counselling, child care and Fort McMurray’s local charities. Counselling is critical. The emotions of returning home, witnessing the destruction, survivor guilt for those with homes undamaged, and the job ahead is overwhelming. Sadly, domestic violence incidents historically spike in the first year following a Canadian disaster. Child care is also a critical service. Parents will be physically busy and emotionally drained. Having child care gives parents the time to recover.
 
Fort McMurray’s local charities update
Fort McMurray SPCA was one of 16 Alberta charities that worked tireless in the heroic rescue of 1,177 pets from Fort McMurray. It reports using up every available resource to provide health checks, veterinary care when needed, food and supplies for the evacuation of pets. Donations are desperately needed to help Fort McMurray SPCA recovery to support returning families.
Wood Buffalo Food Bank reports that all its non-canned food must be thrown out and, with the power out, its fridges and freezers must be emptied. A gruesome job. Albert food banks have rallied to Wood Buffalo Food Bank’s support. Replacement food is in Leduc to get the food bank up and operational. Wood Buffalo Food Bank hopes to start serving the community June 6, 2016.
Fort City Church’s parking lot is the operations base for Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelical Association of Canada. Samaritan’s Purse is living up to its reputation of “getting dirty and doing the heavy lifting” in disaster recovery. It is on call to help Fort McMurray residents carry fridges and freezers to the curb. Billy Graham has 6 disaster/crisis-trained counsellors available to provide counselling.
United Way Fort McMurray will receive the proceeds from the upcoming FireAid benefit concert in Edmonton on June 21^st. To date, the United Way Fort McMurray has raised $280,000.
Conrad Suave, President and CEO of Canadian Red Cross, has met with United Way Fort McMurray and has assured it that it is considered a conduit for the money raised. Donations given to the Canadian Red Cross will be distributed to partner agencies in the Fort McMurray area in stages and likely over a number of years.
 
For additional comments, please contact Kate Bahen, Managing Director, Charity Intelligence Canada 416.363.1555 Read More

 Conrad Sauve, President and CEO of the Canadian Red Cross, announced $50 million will go to Fort McMurray’s local charities like the United Way, Wood Buffalo Food Bank, the YMCA and others. Charity Intelligence heralds this decision. The $50 million in community grants is immense – it is twice the donations Fort McMurray charities received in total donations in 2013. 
These local charities “are already connected to the residents among the most vulnerable groups in our community. Because these organizations are already at work on the ground they have the expertise and resources.” The Canadian Red Cross will work with the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, the United Way of Fort McMurray, and other agencies in a committee to better understand the Fort McMurray’s community needs and collectively decide how to meet those needs. 
In yesterday’s news release some additional figures were released: Canadians have donated $125 million to the Canadian Red Cross for the Fort McMurray disaster relief and recovery. This figure is expected to rise further as additional donations come in. Furthermore, the Canadian Red Cross will receive matching funds from the Government of Canada and the Alberta Government. May 31st was the deadline for matching donations. A Canadian Red Cross media contact says the final tally of matching funds will be announced shortly. 
Canadian Red Cross announced it has spent and committed $165 million. For context, for the first three months of disaster response, the Canadian Red Cross spent $13.6 million to aid in the Alberta Floods. 
 
A preliminary breakdown of Canadian Red Cross spending and commitments