British Columbia Extends State of Emergency 14 days as Wildfires Rage On

EDMONTON, Alberta - July 19, 2017 - PRLog -- As the fires in British Columbia continue to destroy forests and communities, there has been little chance for the evacuees to have hope so far. People do not know the status of their family homes, business or places of employment. Children are worried about their schools and friends while the fires are still burning out of control.

The anxiety and stress of not knowing can be even more physically & emotionally dangerous to a persons well being than to know they have lost everything. Although both are devistating, with the later, people are able to have a clear image of the imediate impact and start planning for the future. At that point they can start the grieving process and feel as though they have some power to move forward. When they have no information the human nature kicks in and they yend to picture the worst case scenario but can do nothing about it and can not feel like it is in their control to move forward with rebuilding.

When the time comes for people to return to their homes, they often rush back and enter the property without the full appreciation of the dangers which are seen and unseen. It is hard to stop during this very emotional point and think about the hazards that have now become a risk in a place which you associate with clam, safety and security. The long term health from the unssen can be more concerning in such situations if people are not prepared and given the information. Without such, they can be placing themselves, families and even pets at risk for long term health issues.

During the evacuation process, it can be very challenging for adults to process. Often, they also underestimate the impact on children and pets. They can also feel the stress and state of shock but are unable to verbally express what they are feeling. An important step in the process is to talk with children and teens about the possible impacts the disaster may have on the family and the community without being dramatic. This will bring questions which you may not know the answer to but the children will be able to process some of it and start preparing for what is going to follow. If they are able to return home and it is undamaged, they will be able to appreciate how fortunate they are and have empathy for those returning to less.

Canadian Relocation Specialists has offices in Vancouver and Edmonton. They also deal with post disaster relocations for residential and business clients in addition to their regular moving and relocation services. Over the years of such, they have put together a very informative guide which helps those impacted by disasters. They have put the PDF download on their website www.canadianrelocationspecialists.com for anyone to download and use. Even if you are not involved in a disaster, it is worth downloading and reading in order to help prepare you should you have a personal or community disaster in the future.

Canadian Relocation Specialists was involved in collecting and delivering about 30,000 lbs of essential items to the victims of the Fort McMurray fires in 2016 from their Vancouver area office and are looking to assist the victims in BC from the Edmonton based offices this time. Following them on their website, will get information to the pubnlic once they are able to set dates and locations of donation points. You can also go online and help the efforts of Canadian Relocation Specialists at http://www.gofundme.com/BCWildfires2017

As you consider what the evacuees are dealing with, when you go to brush your teeth, imagine you have no toothbrush or toothpaste, when you change the baby, imagine you have no diapers, when you go to cook dinner for the family, imagine that you have no kitchen and items you would have had in your kitchen including food. It is hard to actually get the whole picture if you have not been through it or are currently going through it. It can be very traumatizing.