Los Angeles based volunteer Vince Ford joined a small group of fellow American Red Cross responders who deployed to aid the Canadian Red Cross during the province’s worst wildfires in decades. (Photos courtesy of Vince Ford).
By Mimi Teller/American Red Cross
As wildfires forced thousands from their homes across Manitoba, including many from remote First Nation communities, American Red Cross Los Angeles Region volunteer Vince Ford deployed to Winnipeg to support the Canadian Red Cross sheltering response. The 2025 wildfires in Manitoba are the most severe the province has faced in the past three decades, causing widespread destruction and deeply affecting local communities since May. Serving as a shelter supervisor, Vince joined a small team of U.S.-based volunteers who traveled north to provide relief and essential support to the Canadian Red Cross as they cared for those displaced by the ongoing fires.
Vince became a Red Cross volunteer in November 2023 after searching for ways to give back on his birthday. He began in an administrative role at the Long Beach chapter and soon completed sheltering training, quickly taking on deployments across the United States. In less than a year, Vince supported 13 disaster operations and, because of his experience, was asked to serve as a shelter supervisor in Winnipeg.
Once on the ground, Vince went to work at the RBC Convention Centre, converted into a temporary shelter and staging area for hundreds of evacuees. Families from rural and fly-in Indigenous communities were transported to the city for safety, away from the raging wildfires.
The shelter was carefully organized to respect the cultural preferences of evacuees, housing each First Nation community in separate convention center ballrooms, with distinct halls dedicated to different nations. This arrangement honored the leadership structures within each community, as every group has its own Chief responsible for guiding and supporting their people.
To prepare for this role, Vince and his teammates attended a comprehensive two-and-a-half-hour cultural orientation where they learned about the social structures, traditions, and specific needs of the communities they were supporting. This approach ensured shelter operations maintained cultural integrity while providing effective and respectful assistance.
“Having a detailed orientation really helped us understand who we were there to support,” Vince said. “It was one of the most complete briefings I’ve had on a deployment.”
While Canadian Red Cross staff maintained primary relationships with evacuees, Vince played a key role behind the scenes—managing inventory, meeting residents’ needs and helping ensure the response remained steady and organized. His contributions allowed fatigued Canadian Red Cross staff crucial time to rest and reset.
Throughout his time in Winnipeg, Vince worked closely with a team of American Red Cross volunteers from California and other states. Together, they responded to evolving needs, adjusted shelter layouts, supported logistics and remained flexible as residents transitioned to non-congregate lodgings.
Left: Vince and a fellow American Red Crosser help keep the Winnipeg wildfire shelter sleeping area clean. Right: Volunteers from the LA Region gathered to memorilize their time together supporting our Red Cross neighbors in Canada.
“The work we do is incredibly important,” Vince shared. “On the volunteer side, you get to meet people from all walks of life. You meet and mingle with people you wouldn’t encounter otherwise and feel a sense of connection to those you help. It’s important that as volunteers, we are here for that.”
Vince’s experience across a dozen U.S. disaster deployments gave him a strong foundation for responding in Winnipeg. While he had served many times as a night shelter supervisor, his first daytime shift came during Hurricane Milton at one of the largest shelters. Tasked with managing a complex shelter during peak activity hours, Vince also found himself mentoring a partner shelter team. It was an environment where adapting and solving problems in real time became essential. He recalls the rewarding feeling of “ID-ing the puzzle and finding the solution”, a skill that became second nature and serves Vince well during his international deployment.
As a first-time visitor to Winnipeg, Vince discovered a meaningful local connection: the beloved real-life bear Winnie-the-Pooh was named after the city. He found this coincidence especially touching since, as a child, his family affectionately called him “Vincie-Pooh.” This whimsical link added a personal touch to his experience far from home, even as he worked to help others displaced from theirs.
You too can join the American Red Cross and make a difference; where your time and compassion can bring comfort to communities in crisis. Start your volunteer journey today at redcross.org/volunteer.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.
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