The Dunedin man is one of the organisation's IT and technology team members and has just returned from a six-week trip to the country struggling with Libyan refugees fleeing from conflict.
Two days' notice was all he needed for the trip - he was called on a Friday night, confirmed the trip the next day and was flying to North Africa by Monday.
It was his second mission for the Red Cross. He was deployed to Papua New Guinea last year.
Fortunately his employer, RadioComms, was more than happy to let him go, and 30 years in the territorial army meant he "had no issue working in field environments", he said.
Mr Olsen's role was to install a radio network at one of Tunisia's refugee camps, which were supporting thousands of refugees.
"They need a means of communication when you are setting up large camps like this," he said.
He was working about 3km from the Libyan border and "could periodically hear things go bump in the night".
"It is in a war zone, although I was not directly affected by any hostilities. I never felt under threat.
"You have to be a bit laid back. If you allowed yourself to become stressed you would lose it," he said.
Working 12-hour days, seven days a week was "not beer and skittles" - especially when the Danish electrical team left and he had to maintain all IT, communications and electrical aspects of the camp - but he enjoyed it.
So much so he would go "like a shot" when called again and there has already been talk of sending him to Libya.
"While I'd be keen to go, I don't think it will happen."
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