How Zack Bennett showed strength and determination after the Fort McMurray wildfires

“I was forced to evacuate and head up north. That evening, an app on my cell phone notified me saying my home security camera had detected motion. I looked at it and there was smoke pouring in through my front door.”

On May 1, 2016, Zack Bennett went to work at his job in Fort McMurray as he always did. But a seemingly routine day soon turned to chaos as he began to receive alarming text messages from his friends and family, and realized there were billows of smoke sprawling across the city. Fort McMurray was ablaze and the quickly spreading flames ended up resulting in one of the worst, most financially devastating natural disasters in Alberta’s history.

After the flames had died down, Zack took a bold step and decided to be the first one in his community to move back into their house.

“Somebody has to be the first person to move back into their house and I said ‘Why not me?’”

Days before the city was open to the public and residents were allowed to begin to inhabit their homes once again, TD Insurance was first on the ground in Fort McMurray. We mobilized over 500 employees, including our fleet of Mobile Response Units, to support our 3,000+ customers impacted by the fire on a 24/7 basis. The goal as professionals was to get our customers’ claims filed and resolved quickly, but the goal as friends and neighbours was to lend a helping hand to our fellow Canadians.

With assistance from people like his TD Insurance claims adjustor, Zack was able to resolve his insurance claim quickly and begin the process of rebuilding and reclaiming the life he had built before disaster struck.

“To have all of these people working together to try and get me back home, it’s a great feeling and such a relief when you can get back to your regular life.”