The wildfire near Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, has forced the largest evacuation in the nation’s history, displacing nearly 100,000 people and destroying more than 2,400 homes and buildings as it sweeps across Northeast Alberta.

As IAPMO stands for the health, safety, and wellbeing of people across our globe, we wish to help the people of Fort McMurray in the immediacy of this natural disaster. To that end, we encourage our membership and our partners in the industry to make a donation to the Canadian Red Cross, which is already on the ground responding to the community’s needs.

“IAPMO was founded 90 years ago with a mission above all others to work toward assuring safety to people in their homes and places of business,” said IAPMO CEO Russ Chaney. “When the threat of fire has been extinguished, our expertise may very well assist in the community’s rebuild, but in the meantime we wish to answer the call for help in the manner we feel will have the most immediately positive impact. Please consider giving whatever you can.”

Donations can be made via the Red Cross’ “Alberta Fires” emergency appeal at https://donate.redcross.ca/ea-action/action?&ea.client.id=1951&ea.campaign.id=50639 or simply text REDCROSS to 30333 and a $5 donation will be made automatically. For the latest updates on the wildfire, click http://www.alberta.ca/emergency.cfm.

Thank you.