We are seeing more and more disasters in Canada and we are not as immune to them as many Canadians may think. As believers, it is our responsibility to be “ready” to share the reason for our hope, especially when times are tough. And that can apply to anyone in our realm of influence. We will all face loss, illness, divorce, addictions, and everyday life traumatic events, but the question remains: ARE WE READY?
Do we know what to say and what not to say? Do we know how to appropriately share God’s love in a way that will bring healing and restoration to those in need? Or are we going to stand back and be silent because we don’t know what to do? It is our duty as God’s ambassadors to “be” there for those we love most in their time of need. Learn more about training opportunities.
Rapid Response Team chaplains are specially trained volunteers who respond to community-wide disasters or personal crises, serving as the hands and feet of Jesus to those who are struggling in the midst of difficult situations.
Our chaplains have been deployed to many hurting Canadian communities.
Rapid Response Team – National Deployments
Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Rapid Response Team chaplains come alongside to minister to the emotional and spiritual needs of hurting people. Here are the crises where Rapid Response Team Chaplains have served:
- Hurricane Katrina 2005
- Terrace BC, Flood 2007
- Abbotsford BC, Floor Collapse 2008
- Fredericton NB, Flood 2008
- Chilliwack BC, Flood 2009
- Vancouver BC, Olympics 2010
- Leamington ON, Tornado 2010
- Medicine Hat AB, Flood 2010
- Bonavista NL, Flood 2010
- Burt’s Corner NB, Flood 2011
- Noyan QC, Flood 2011
- Slave Lake AB, Fire 2011
- Goderich ON, Tornado 2011
- Perth Andover NB, Flood 2012
- Thunder Bay ON, Flood 2012
- Huntsville ON, Flood 2013
- Minden ON, Flood 2013
- Southern Alberta Flood, 2013
- Calgary AB, Mass Murders 2014
- Sussex Corner NB, Flood 2014
- Belleville ON, Flood 2014
- Moncton NB, Police Officers Shot 2014
- Melville SK, Flood 2014
- Burlington ON, Flood 2014
- Calgary AB, Operation Christmas Child CONNECT Conference 2015
- Operation Christmas Child Alberta Regional Areas Retreat 2015
- Ottawa ON, Truth and Reconciliation Commission 2015
- Cache Creek BC, Flood 2015
- Calgary AB, Operation Christmas Child Christmas in July 2015
- Siksika First Nation AB, Memorial Service 2015
- Ferguson MO, One year anniversary of Michael Brown shooting 2015
- Rock Creek Forest Fires, Southern BC 2015
- Blairmore AB, Blanchette Memorial Service 2015
- Red Deer AB, Bott Memorial Service 2015
- Paris France, Terrorist attacks 2015
- Aberdeenshire, UK, Flood 2016
- La Loche SK, Mass Murders 2016
- Brussels Belgium, Terrorist attacks 2016
- Houston TX, Flood 2016
- Fort McMurray AB, Wildfire 2016
- Nice France, Terrorist attacks 2016
- Munich Germany, Mass Shooting 2016
- Windsor ON, Flood 2016
- Cape Breton NS, Flood 2016
- Abbotsford BC, Murder 2016
- Lil’wat First Nation BC, Flood 2016
- Berlin Germany, Terrorist attack 2016
- Quebec QC, Mosque Shooting 2017
- New Orleans, LA Tornado 2017
- Vancouver BC, Festival of Hope 2017
- Ontario and Quebec, Flood 2017
- No Greater Love Music Festival, Morley, AB 2017
- Vernon BC, Flood 2017
- Ashcroft & Williams Lake BC, Wildfire 2017
- Alaska, Operation Heal Our Patriots 2015-2017
- Humboldt SK, Humboldt Broncos bus crash, April 2018
- Toronto ON, van attack, April 2018
- New Brunswick, Flood, May 2018
- Grand Forks BC, Flood, May 2018
- Québec City and La Malbaie QC, G7 summit, June 2018
- Toronto ON, shooting, July 2018
- No Greater Love Music Festival, Cochrane, AB 2018
- Telegraph Creek, BC Wildfire 2018
- Ottawa-Gatineau, Tornados 2018
- Salmon Arm BC, shooting, April 2019
- Penticton BC, shooting, April 2019
- New Brunswick, Flood, 2019
- Gatineau QC, Flood, 2019
- Ottawa ON, Flood, 2019
- Renfrew County ON, Flood, 2019
- Paddle Prairie AB, Fire, 2019
- Cochrane AB, No Greater Love Music Festival, 2019
- Atlantic Canada, Hurricane Dorian, 2019
- Australia, Bushfires, 2020
- Fort McMurray & Fort Vermilion, AB, Flood, 2020
- Toronto, ON, COVID-19 Nisbet Lodge, 2020
- Thunder Bay ON, COVID-19, 2021
- Attawapiskat ON, COVID-19, 2021
- Kelowna BC, Crane Collapse, 2021
- Vernon BC, Wildfire, 2021
- Lytton and Cache Creek BC, Wildfire, 2021
- Faro YT, Shooting, 2021
- Abbotsford BC, Flooding, 2021
- Merritt BC, Flood, 2021
- Morinville AB, Church Arson, 2021
- Fort Smith NWT, Murder and Hostage Taking, 2022
- Ottawa, ON, Trucker Protest, 2022
- Hay River NWT, Flooding, 2022
- Ottawa ON, Violent Storm, 2022
- United Kingdom, Queen’s Funeral, 2022
- Atlantic Canada, Hurricane Fiona, 2022
- Innisfil, ON, Police Shooting, 2022
- Operation Christmas Child: Processing Centers 2008-2022
- Laval QC, Daycare Attack, 2023
- Edmonton, AB, Police Shooting, 2023
- Ottawa, Calgary, Kelowna, Regina, Ignite Prayer Events, 2023
- Dauphin, MB, Bus Crash, 2023
- Nova Scotia, Wildfire 2023
- Calgary AB, Fatal Plane Crash 2023
- Kelowna Wildfire – West Kelowna, BC – August 27 – October 7, 2023
- North Shuswap Wildfire – September 24 – October 22, 2023
- Fort Smith Plane Crash – Fort Smith, NT – January 27 – February 7, 2024
- Prestwick Villas Condo Fire – Calgary, AB – July 5 – 19, 2024
- Le Sueur County Floods – Waterville, MN – July 4 – August 4, 2024