Mark Matheson is doing everything he can to prepare for a trip that’s sure to be emotional. The local firefighter and paramedic is headed to the Philippines to aid in typhoon relief.
“We’re going to travel to the city of Cebu and we are going to start coordinating things and do some response from there,” says Matheson.
Matheson is working with GlobalMedic – a Canadian charity funded completely by donations and manned by volunteers.
“We are getting tablets out to people, we’re setting up systems, we are getting them clean water we’re putting in medical teams as well. The big needs on the ground right now: people need water, people need food, people need shelter and they need access to health care,” says Rahul Singh, Executive Director of GlobalMedic.
This is the second time Matheson has been deployed to the Philippines.
This time last year he was training and equipping Filipino firefighters.
Now that training is being put to the test.
“A lot of the guys that I trained and helped equip were actually on the ground and they’re working in some of these disaster areas right now,” says Matheson.
Community support has been overwhelming, but he says his family and co workers are what drives him to help others.
“We all want to help out as best we can, this is totally voluntary so I’m taking time off work to do this and if it wasn’t for the guys stepping up I wouldn’t be able to go at all,” says Matheson.
GlobalMedic is made up of highly skilled first responders from across Canada ranging from police officers to nurses.
“It’s kind of what makes you be a firefighter and a paramedic, you just want to help,” says Matheson.
“There is front line emergency workers from right here, that are right there on the front line now in Manila delivering clean water,” says Singh.
Five local firefighters are involved with GlobalMedic. So far Matheson has been the only one selected to head to the Philippines, but if relief efforts continue more locals could be headed there.
To donate to Mark Matheson and GlobalMedic you can visit http://www.globalmedic.ca. The Canadian government will match every dollar that is donated.
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