response « American Red Cross Disaster Newsroom

Earthquake in Haiti: Update #34

January 20, 2010

This is an enormous relief operation now, but we also know it will be a massive long-term recovery effort and the Red Cross will be there throughout.

This is already the largest single-country personnel deployment in global Red Cross history. The number of emergency response teams in or en route to Haiti equals those that responded to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami – an emergency that spanned 14 countries.
It is clear that what took minutes to destroy will take many years and the collective support from governments and relief agencies across the world to help mend. The American Red Cross is working in close coordination with other responding organizations and will undoubtedly collaborate on joint, long-term recovery projects.
Terrible times like these bring out the best in people, and we are grateful for the support being given to the American Red Cross. This generosity will help thousands of survivors cope with and recover from their losses.

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Posted by amrecro

Earthquake in Haiti: Update #32 (President and CEO of American Red Cross in Haiti today)

January 19, 2010

American Red Cross President and CEO Gail McGovern is on the ground in Haiti visiting relief operations and helping to coordinate the distribution of aid.

She is meeting with Haitian Red Cross President Gedeon and will visit a first aid post, outside the damaged American Red Cross headquarters, one of 11 mobile posts where volunteers are working to treat wounded survivors. She will also visit a Red Cross relief distribution center where family kits, water and shelter supplies are being organized and given to survivors.
Later today, McGovern will meet with the Haitian government, as a follow up to her visit yesterday with Red Cross leaders from around the world and heads of state of other nations, to help coordinate the global response effort.
There are more than 400 Red Cross workers from around the world in Haiti as well as thousands of local volunteers.
McGovern also talked today with USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah, and yesterday, American Red Cross Chairman Bonnie McElveen-Hunter welcomed President and Mrs. Obama on their visit to Red Cross disaster operations center in Washington, D.C.

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Posted by amrecro

Photos: Earthquake in Haiti

January 19, 2010

Please click through for courtesy and caption information.

All photos from Haiti

1 Comment | Haiti earthquake (Jan. 2010) | Tagged: American Red Cross, assistance, disaster, earthquake, first aid, food, haiti, help, relief, response, supplies, support, water | Permalink
Posted by amrecro

Video: Earthquake in Haiti from IFRC

January 19, 2010

Video about relief efforts from the International Federation for the Red Cross:

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Posted by amrecro

Earthquake in Haiti: Update #31

January 18, 2010

Red Cross relief teams are mostly mobile right now – traveling to communities rather than working out of fixed-site locations. Here’s the breakdown of where we are right now:

Hospital, Downtown Port-au-Prince, 150 beds (expects to treat 250,000 during the response)
Hospital, Carrefour, 120 beds (expects to treat 250,000 during the response)
Mobile Health (Outreach) Teams, Carrefour (expects to treat 30,000 during the response)
Mobile Health (Outreach) Teams, Port-au-Prince (expects to treat 30,000 during the response)
Fixed Health Center, Jacmel (expects to treat 30,000 during the response)

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Posted by amrecro

Photos: Earthquake in Haiti

January 18, 2010

Please click through for caption and courtesy information

View more photos from Haiti in Flickr.

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Posted by amrecro

Earthquake in Haiti: Update #28

January 17, 2010

Relief materials are being delivered, and more help is on the way by air, land and sea.

Today (Sunday), the Red Cross is setting up a field hospital in Jacmel which will be able to treat approximately 200 people per day.

The Red Cross has already supplied medical kits to treat 2,000 patients, and hundreds of blankets and plastic sheets have also been distributed.

A Red Cross water trucking program is now providing clean water for about 1,000 people living in a makeshift camp in the Delmas neighborhood. Latrines have also been built in the same area to help address sanitation issues.

Over the weekend, three planes carrying Red Cross humanitarian assistance were expected in the region, delivering a field hospital and needed materials such as tarps, blankets, hygiene items, buckets, shelter supplies and kitchen sets.

Another 20,000 relief items should arrive Monday on a cargo plane provided in partnership with FedEx.

In the days ahead, the Red Cross will begin to provide temporary shelters in Haiti. Kits, containing tarps, rope and tools, as well as tents and blankets, will be made available for an initial 20,000 families.

American Red Cross President and CEO Gail McGovern is going to Haiti on Monday with Red Cross leadership from around the world and will visit relief operations.

The Red Cross is training 40-100 Creole-speaking volunteers who will work as translators on the USS Comfort when Haitians will be brought aboard for medical care.

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Posted by amrecro

Earthquake in Haiti: Update #27

January 17, 2010

We’re making progress. The American public has reached out to help and their support is getting to Haitian earthquake survivors.

The American Red Cross is performing first aid, delivering water, addressing urgent needs and mobilizing a massive response operation in Haiti.
First aid posts have been set up in the streets, where Red Cross workers and volunteers from Haiti and other countries are working side-by-side to clean and stitch up wounds amidst the rubble.
More than 100 Red Cross staff from two dozen nations are supporting several thousand local volunteers, and more Red Cross teams from around the world are en route.
Red Cross workers from around the world will be providing a wide range of help and support, including food, water, field hospitals, emotional support, telecommunications, sanitation facilities and helping restore links between families.

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Posted by amrecro