Tag: wildfire

Categories
Health

Lady Gaga Paid an Emotional Surprise Visit to California Wildfire Evacuees


As wildfires continue to ravage parts of California, displacing thousands of residents, many celebrities are using their platform for good, taking action by motivating those who can to give to relief efforts and donating much needed supplies themselves.

Lady Gaga, who had to evacuate her own Malibu home, stopped by a shelter set up at Pacific Palisades High School to offer her love and support. TMZ reports that she spent about an hour and a half at the shelter visiting with victims, handing out gift cards, and taking photos. Gaga reportedly even sang to a 98-year-old woman who had to leave her own home.

Gaga also took time to offer a few words of support and a powerful message about mental health during tough times:

“This is not easy. I know this is not easy. And I know that a lot of you are feeling a lot of pain right now, and a lot of shock. I know that I feel kinda in a daze and I’m not really sure when or how this is going to hit me when it does,” she said. “What I can tell you is that I will pray for each and every one of you. You will be in my thoughts. I extend my love to each and every one of you. I know we do not know each other, but I love you. This is an emergency but you are not alone.”

“And what I’d like to encourage you to do, though it might be hard,” she continued, “is to share your stories and talk to each other during this time. There’s a wonderful mental health team here, you know, if you’re feeling sad, if you’re feeling afraid, if you’re feeling hopeless, if you’re feeling something maybe you don’t even understand, come to one of them and talk. And after this is over, this moment, and you move on to going home, or not, if that happens. Remember this moment right now and let’s keep the faith together.”

She also reminded those who are affected to keep in tune with their mental health: “Please do not discount your mental health during this time. It is so important that you take care of what’s going on in your head and in your heart, because what you feel now is going to feel very different next week. And it’s going to feel different the week after that and a month from that and maybe even a year,” she said, before issuing a call for unity. “So let’s just, in this moment, I want to be respectful of everybody here…. We are probably not all of the same denomination. We might not all be religious, but I would just like to make a pact with you, in this room right now, that I will be with you every step of the way, even the second that I leave this room. I love you and you’re gonna get through this, and we’re going to get through this together.”

(Watch the video of her speech here.)

To help families affected by the Woolsey Fire, you can make a donation to the Hill Fire/Woolsey Fire Sudden and Urgent Needs Effort Fund or the Red Cross.

Related Stories:

Bella Hadid Posted a Heartbreaking Instagram About the California Wildfires

Khloé Kardashian Spent Saturday Helping Firefighters After Evacuating Her House

Kim Kardashian Honored California Wildfire First Responders in This Powerful Speech



Source link

Categories
Alberta Ft Mac Health

Will Recent Wildfire Cause an Increase in Fort McMurray’s Domestic Violence Rate?

In 2011 the Slave Lake wildfire destroyed hundreds of homes, and caused a sharp increase in domestic violence as well. Now Fort McMurray could be facing the same trend but the community is better prepared if this happens. Northern Haven Support Society executive director explained that in the Slave Lake case Shelly May Ferguson “We went from 12 calls a month to 24 calls.” Stress, both for financial reasons and caused by events such as the wildfire and forced evacuation, can increase the risk of domestic violence because people may snap under too much pressure. Waypoints is not taking any chances now that people have come back to Fort McMurray, and executive director Michele Taylor told the media that “We’re trying to prevent the increase in first-time domestic violence in homes or intensifying domestic violence in homes.” Unity House is taking proactive steps to ensure that domestic violence does not leave people at risk.

Studies show that after a natural disaster, like the wildfire in Fort McMurray, the rate of domestic violence tends to go up by around 30%. According to Taylor “Alberta has one of the worst track records in terms of domestic violence per capita. People have a hard time processing what 80,000 people just went through. And for some people it leads to domestic violence. It expresses itself emotionally and sometimes it’s six to 12 months after the trauma.” In order to prevent more domestic violence Waypoints is offering counseling at no charge for people who have relationship tension, and the organization has provided Wood Buffalo and Fort McMurray human resource departments with program and services outlines as well.

Categories
Alberta Economic Ft Mac

Fort McMurray Wildfire Damage Horror Stories Include Insurance Companies and Landlords

The Fort McMurray wildfire has caused damage and destruction, and it has had an emotional toll as well as a financial cost to residents who were forced to evacuate and who may have lost everything while they are away from home. There have already been horror stories of insurance companies refusing to honor claims, landlords who are MIA when tenants need them, and even people looting or breaking and entering into the homes that the evacuees fled from. Tenants discovered that some landlords refused to refund even part of the monthly rent that was paid for apartments and homes which are no longer inhabitable, or even completely destroyed. A few residents have complained that landlords even insisted that the tenant pay rent for next month as well even though they can no longer reside in or even use the space that they are paying rent for.

While there are some horror stories that have been made public after the Fort McMurray wildfire theer are also stories that inspire. Some landlords were always available to their tenants and they were fair and reasonable if damages occurred. There have also been insurance companies who were quick to assess damage and to evaluate claims, offering fair payouts and complete assistance at a time when residents need it most. A few bad apples does not diminish all of the good that people did in the last few weeks. If you dealt with a landlord or insurance company after the Fort McMurray wildfire what was your experience like? Do you feel you were treated fairly?

Categories
Alberta Ft Mac Health

Wood Buffalo Twitter Account Helped Fort McMurray Residents Evacuate Safely

The official Wood Buffalo Twitter account helped many Fort McMurray residents evacuate the city safely, and probably saved some lives in the process. When the evacuation order was issued on May 3 because of the wildfire crisis the Twitter account quickly became a major source of helpful information, travel tips, and safety advice for the people who were fleeing from the wildfire. The account posted a tweet at 9:41 pm that day which read “Unless in imminent danger, evacuees who are stranded on Highway 63 should stay put. Police will be patrolling the (sic) hwy with gas cans.” An hour later the account posted another tweet “If you’re north of Confederation, don’t come south on Hwy. 63. Our priority is getting everyone out of danger.”

Without updates from the Wood Buffalo Twitter account during the wildfire evacuation many residents may have ended up stuck or in an unsafe position due to traffic jams or other issues. Regional Emergency Operations Centre employee Jordan Redshaw is one of the people who utilized the Twitter account to help with a safe evacuation, and he explained that “I’ve just been working sixteen hour days or more since Tuesday. Probably more, actually. I get a little lost now. Everyone is pretty tired and we have a lot going on, but morale is pretty good. We’re all here for the same reason.” This attitude and effort is being seen by everyone involved in the wildfire crisis. Towns and cities have been warmly welcoming Fort McMurray evacuees even though these communities have found their resources stretched thin as a result.

Categories
Alberta Ft Mac

First Nation Communities Near Fort McMurray Also Experience Fallout From the Wildfire

Fort McMurray residents are not the only ones who are suffering because of the wildfire crisis occurring right now, First Nation communities and northern hamlets are also feeling the effects that the wildfire has had. These communities are often located in very remote areas, and most can only be accessed by air or by water except in the winter when ice roads allow ground transport. Supplies including groceries must be shipped in, and many of these communities are worried about running out before a new shipment can be arranged. Mikisew Cree First Nation Chief Steve Courtoreille explained that “There will be another state of emergency in the northern hamlet of Fort Chipewyan if grocery supplies aren’t sent soon. From what I understand we have groceries only for five more days. We’ve been talking to the province, and [Aboriginal Affairs] Minister Feehan about it. They’ve been very supportive, finding ways we can help the community. I’m getting calls saying it’s getting smokey.”

The wildfire is also impacting other First Nation communities. Fort McKay has seen a big increase in the number of people arriving since Fort McMurray was evacuated. Fort McKay First Nation Chief Jim Boucher explained “We had a tremendous influx of people yesterday. Up to 5,000 vehicles came through the hamlet Tuesday and 750 people registered with the community to stay overnight. It was quite an atmosphere here last night.” Chief Boucher also said “People are worried and concerned of course. I think what we need to assure the people is that there is no immediate danger. I think there’s a strong spirit of community in Fort McMurray and we’ve certainly seen it.”