Saskatchewan steps up to help Fort McMurray

People in Saskatchewan are stepping up to provide help to people from Fort McMurray, Alta., displaced due to a massive forest fire.

• LIVEBLOG:Breaking updates on the FortMcMurraywildfire

In Saskatoon, on Friday, donations of such things as canned food and bottled water will be collected at the Stonebridge Walmart. That effort is being organized by a local real estate company and a trucking firm who will take the items to the Edmonton Food Bank.

"Saskatchewan people are generous," Dave Kyba, from the Red Cross in Saskatchewan, said.

• 'Catastrophic' Fort McMurray wildfire prompts state of emergency

He noted, however, that the organization does not have the capacity to handle donated goods from citizens.

"We don't have the warehouse facilities nor the transportation abilities to move goods around," he said. "So, while that generosity is well-appreciated, there are other organizations that we partner with, such as the Salvation Army, that would gladly take those kinds of items."

On Thursday, the Salvation Army in Saskatchewan saidit was sending support to Edmonton. A small crew will be there to help for at least two weeks. The Salvation Army said they have additional emergency services units that may be able to go to Albertashould the need arise.

Kyba said the most effective help, from the Red Cross, takes place after they have assessed a situation and determined what the needs are.

"Often we focus on the food, the shelter [and] the clothing," he said. "In this case [Fort McMurray] we're hearing about people who just basically ran out of their homes and jumped into their vehicles and hit the road."

The Red Cross also helps with personal needs, such as eyeglasses.

"All those things cost money," he said. In addition, there is an expense in getting volunteers to where they need to be, and to support them. "There's a terrific cost to it all."

Slave Lake experience

In May 2011, a wildfire raged through Slave Lake destroying a third of the buildings and forcing everyone to leave.

No lives were lost, but the disruption to the community and the cost of rebuilding was massive.

Much has also been learned from the experience when it comes to helping out.

Jo Phillips, from Alberta, shared vivid recollections of her experience at an evacuation centre in that province when hundreds of people from Slave Lake arrived.

"This isn't an overnight displacement," Phillips said Wednesday talking about what happened five years ago. "The needs changed as we moved from hours to days to weeks and months after the fire."

One area that Phillips specifically noted concerned gathering things like clothing.

"Gathering stuff might make you feel like you're helping, but you're not," she said.

"Used clothing and household goods are not a good idea," Phillips said. "They create a strain on what's already a stressful situation."

Phillips suggested monetary donations, to organizations like the Red Cross, or giftcards.

"Cash is essential," she said. "[People] are displaced.They don't know what's coming next ... they're just trying to get through the day."

She said cash donations provide the most immediate and more flexible form of help.

"By sending cash you can help them address their needs," she said. "Rather than have them pick and choose through a bunch of stuff to figure out if they'll use it."

Provincial government ready to help

Officials from the provincial government noted they are ready with all sorts of help for Alberta, although no formal request for firefighting aid has arrived. The provinces maintain a mutual aid protocol for addressing fires.

The province's Mieka Cleary noted that firefighting workin Saskatchewanis being done near the boundary with Alberta.

"The wildfire management branch of the Ministry of Environment will be assisting with the firefighting efforts on the border, along the border," Cleary said. "[That] will then allow the Alberta government to free up those firefighting resources that they have there, to be redistributed elsewhere."

Clearly said Saskatchewan is also providing support for water tankers fighting the Fort McMurray fire.

"The Saskatchewan air ambulance is also on standby in case there's any medical needs," Cleary added.

Yorktonchipping in

Jessica Cheveriesaw the devastation in Fort McMurray and knew she had to do something. She and her husband, Joseph, live in Yorkton.

Theypartnered with a local church and the Yorkton Community Centre to collect items such as food, water and clothing.

"We're doing this because we're Canadians and this is what we do to help everybody," said JessicaCheverie. "I mean, if we were in a crisis, we would sure hope everybody would help us out down here too."

Sheplans on driving a van and trailer packed with donations to Edmonton on Friday. If you live in the Yorkton area and would like to make a donation, the number to call is 1-306-620-8811.