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Help Haiti! The situation is very bad for poor Haiti. Donate now... It's easy since you can now 'text' with your cellphone/mobile (see homepage). Otherwise visit websites of the Red Cross, United Nations, Clinton Foundation, Wycleff Jean's Yele Haiti, and many others as listed on MSNBC. Just do it. Now. No excuses. Thanks, Gert

People Registry - The International Committee of the Red Cross has an on-line database where you can register yourself and say that you are ok or you can search for the status of your relatives. The website is called: Family News Network of the International Committee of the Red Cross. You can also use Google's Person Finder application which is very easy to use. However, I would have preferred just one central list, instead of two different ones. Of the two I would pick the Red Cross one, since they also have an office on the ground in Port au Prince where people can walk in and register. -Gert

Operational Challenges Reliefweb.int has an interesting map showing the humanitarian operational challenges. It looks indeed not easy to get the relief to the right places. So although it seems like 'ages' for aid to arrive, I am sure people are doing their best to get stuff moving. There are some more interesting articles regarding the quake on the Reliefweb.int website. -Gert

- - - 2009 Hurricane Season - - -

- update from Hosean Int'l Ministries in Haiti/earthquake relief
  • By lucienscd at aol.com
  • Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2010 01:15:04 -0400
Greetings All;
Please find attached an update concerning what has been happening the past month in Haiti!
We covet your prayers!
Debbie for all


 

Attachment: HIM Haiti April 26 Update.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document


- Haiti earthquake relief April 10
  • By lucienscd at aol.com
  • Date: Sun, 11 Apr 2010 01:00:30 -0400
Hi All;
Please find attached an update on what has been happening and what will be going on in Haiti.
Blessings,
Debbie Lucien

Attachment: April 10 earthquake relief update.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document


- Fwd: Video: A Call to Action for Haiti Relief Efforts
  • By lucienscd at aol.com
  • Date: Wed, 07 Apr 2010 23:04:45 -0400
Find a link to Caleb's interview online below:



-----Original Message-----
From: Lucienscd at aol.com
To: Lucienscd at aol.com
Sent: Wed, Apr 7, 2010 9:57 pm
Subject: Video: A Call to Action for Haiti Relief Efforts



News: A Call to Action for Haiti Relief Efforts



©2007 Nexstar Broadcasting. All Rights Reserved.

- Hosean March 26 earthquake relief update
  • By LuciensCD at aol.com
  • Date: Fri, 26 Mar 2010 19:15:13 EDT
Hi All;
Here's today's update for the week!
Debbie

Attachment: March 26.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document


- earthquake relief update in Haiti
  • By LuciensCD at aol.com
  • Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:08:42 EDT
Hi All;
Find attached today's update from Haiti.
Blessings,
Debbie

Attachment: March 16 Haiti update.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document


- children's drawings from Haiti
  • By LuciensCD at aol.com
  • Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:52:23 EST
Hi All;
Enclosed is today's update from Haiti which shares several images of drawings done by the children staying at the camp.  They were encouraged to do this to express what they had seen and experienced thus far since the earthquake. 
Blessings,
Debbie for all

Attachment: Hosean Relief Update, March 10.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document


- children's drawings from Haiti
  • By LuciensCD at aol.com
  • Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:52:23 EST
Hi All;
Enclosed is today's update from Haiti which shares several images of drawings done by the children staying at the camp.  They were encouraged to do this to express what they had seen and experienced thus far since the earthquake. 
Blessings,
Debbie for all

Attachment: Hosean Relief Update, March 10.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document


- HIM update March 6th (from Caleb)
  • By LuciensCD at aol.com
  • Date: Sat, 6 Mar 2010 19:33:12 EST
Hi All;
Here's an update from Caleb on what the Lord's done and future plans.
Thanks!
 

Dear Friends;

     It has been six weeks since the first earthquake and I just can’t believe that the Lord would have used us to accomplish so much.  So many needs have been met and so many needs still exist everywhere we look.  To date: 

§  850 tents have been distributed

§  200,000 lbs. of rice have been distributed

§  More than 800 people have been evacuated out of Port au Prince

§  500 new students have been admitted to our school

§  From January 17th until February 28th, 200 meals have been served daily to the Pignon Hospital patients and their family members and to the staff.

§  386 people are now staying at our camp facilities

§  Through Rotary International, district 7020, more than 130 flights (cessnas, small jets) and DC-3’s have brought food and medical supplies estimated to value more than $8.2 million US dollars.

§  Hospitals in Cap Haitien, Saint Marc, Port au Prince, Jacmel, Cayes, Port de Paix, Pignon and Saint Raphael have received medical supplies and medicine.  As I was delivering some supplies to two health care centers and hospitals in Port au Prince recently, the medical directors both just looked at me and said, “We are good for supplies now for two months with what you brought.  How did you know exactly what we needed?”

     The answer was obvious to me, it is the Lord!  I have received so many calls from people from all over the country to say thanks for the assistance that has been provided.  We are so grateful that the Lord could use us to touch so many lives.  So many of you have helped us continue to make a difference.  You have been determined to help us touch as many lives as possible.  I can’t wait for the day when we meet our Savior!  I believe in that we will hear words similar to what songwriter Ray Boltz wrote:  “Thank you for giving to the Lord!  I am a life that was changed.” 

     Many now are asking the question:  “What is the next step?”  So what I want to do in this update is outline specifically what needs to happen in the next 2-6 months in our community and the rest of the country to maintain effective outreaches:

1.       We need to maintain the physical, financial and spiritual stability at our school campus of College de la Grace.  In addition to our 950 already existing students, we have accepted over 500 refugee students.  By faith we are trusting the Lord to provide:  $26,000 for books, $30,000 for two sets of uniforms, $5,000 more monthly for teacher’s salaries, 500 chairs at $45 each, $9,000 for a new playground, $12,000 to complete an additional computer lab, two chaplains added to our staff to help maintain counseling and spiritual life at the school and camp.

We need to continue to provide a hot meal every day for our students.  We need to find 500 sponsors for our new students.  To remain financially stable (i.e. pay our staff and meet needs) we need $30/month/student.

2.        We need to provide a safe and comfortable environment for the refugees at the camp.  Right now we are providing each and everyone staying at the camp with three meals a day.  At this point people feel O.K.  There continues to be needs for medical care and our hospital in Pignon has been super in providing free initial healthcare to people injured in the earthquake.  But there will be increasing health related problems as so many people are living in such close proximity.  We need to quickly build a temporary shelter to house about two hundred as rainy season is approaching.  We also need to build beds, a new shower/toilet facility as soon as possible.  We are recruiting teams from across the U.S. to help with these needs.

We are strategizing in terms of how to help the refugees help themselves.  We are looking      into developing a new micro-credit program targeting the skilled workers.  Currently with us there are:  metal workers, carpenters, electricians, etc.  We are seeking how to best help them reestablish their lives and already seeing some successes. 

 

3.       Thirdly, we need to continue to provide shelters.  There are over one million people without shelters and that represents 10% of the country’s population.   While tents continue to be a huge need, we must be thinking about long term solutions.  Hosean has been given 20 acres of land outside of Port au Prince that we are hoping to develop into a village with 150-200 family units.  We will be bringing in a team of engineers that will do the planning, drawing, and everything necessary to build up to the highest codes to ensure we are well prepared for future disasters.  We will put the proper infrastructure for sewage, water drainage, sanitation, and electricity.  We will be calling upon many partners to accompany us in this great endeavor. 

 

4.       We will need to develop a long term solution for orphan care.  As our family is getting ready to move into our new home, we will begin the renovation of the “Layton Stamper Children’s Home.”  We already have four children from the destroyed areas in our care and have found a house mother for them.  We are expecting 26 more that will be arriving and that will bring us to full capacity.  We are praying for one or two groups of volunteers that would be willing to take on the renovation project to remodel the building, build new bunk beds, and re-do the wiring to make it a beautiful, safe and comfortable home.

     In a meeting that I attended last week, someone said, “If we do not close the gap between emergency relief and recovery/rebuilding, we will have a lasting and even greater emergency.”  It is not the time for lots of meetings, it is time for action.  We can transform this nation and we need to do it now.  Please contact me for any questions and please continue to pray for all of us!

IN HIM,    Caleb Lucien     www.hosean.org

Attachment: HIM March 6 update.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document


- HIM Haiti March 4th update
  • By LuciensCD at aol.com
  • Date: Thu, 4 Mar 2010 21:38:44 EST
Hi All;
Enclosed is an update on activities this week!

Attachment: March 4.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document


- Hosean Haiti Relief Update Feb 26, 2010
  • By LuciensCD at aol.com
  • Date: Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:28:07 EST
Please find today's update attached.

Attachment: Hosean Haiti Relief Update 2 26.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document


- HIM Haiti Relief Update-Feb. 21
  • By LuciensCD at aol.com
  • Date: Sun, 21 Feb 2010 14:06:02 EST
Please find attached an update about relief efforts today in Haiti

Attachment: February 21.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document


- update on Feb. 18 from Haiti
  • By LuciensCD at aol.com
  • Date: Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:02:01 EST
Hi All;
Here's today's update from Pignon, Haiti!
Blessings,
Debbie

Attachment: February 18.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document


- Haiti Earthquake Relief Update-Feb. 11
  • By LuciensCD at aol.com
  • Date: Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:06:37 EST
Hi All;
Please find attached an update detailing events of the last day or two. 
Also, you won't hear from us for at least 5 days as our family makes a run for the border of the Dominican Republic to get some rest!  Our staff is in place and will keep things running!
blessings,
Debbie Lucien

Attachment: HIM Haiti Feb 11 2010.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document


- Press Release:More CARICOM Health Personnel for Haiti (fwd)
  • By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
  • Date: Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:44:41 -0500 (EST)
See attached.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: 11 Feb 2010 21:29:42 -0000
From: Situation Reports - Public <webmaster at cdera.org>
Subject: Press Release:More CARICOM Health Personnel for Haiti




Attachment: More%20CARICOM%20Health%20Personnel%20for%20Haiti%2011.02.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document


- Feb. 9th update from Haiti
  • By LuciensCD at aol.com
  • Date: Tue, 9 Feb 2010 13:07:00 EST
Hi All;
Find today's update attached.

Attachment: February 9.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document


- Fwd: CDEMA Situation Report 11
  • By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
  • Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 13:55:44 -0800
See attached.





-- 
Gert van Dijken
Caribbean Hurricane Network
http://stormcarib.com

Attachment: Haiti%20Situation%20Report%2011%20%2031.01.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document


- Haiti Earthquake Relief Update-Feb. 5th
  • By LuciensCD at aol.com
  • Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 11:14:18 EST
Hi All;
Thanks again for your interest in what is happening in Haiti right now.
See attached file.
Blessings,
Debbie
 

Attachment: February 5.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document


- Moving Port-au-Prince
  • By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
  • Date: Thu, 4 Feb 2010 12:01:24 -0800
I found this very interesting article about rebuilding Haiti and possibly moving the captial:
       http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,675299,00.html

Gert

--
Gert van Dijken
Caribbean Hurricane Network
http://stormcarib.com

- Feb 2nd update from Haiti
  • By LuciensCD at aol.com
  • Date: Tue, 2 Feb 2010 14:54:38 EST
Greetings from Haiti,
Attached is an update of what is going on right now...
 

Attachment: February 2.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document


- Fwd: Haiti Earthquake: A catalyst for Regional Disaster Management Support from Australia
  • By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
  • Date: Mon, 1 Feb 2010 16:48:56 -0800


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: CDERA News Release <webmaster at cdera.org>
Date: Mon, Feb 1, 2010 at 3:13 PM



 

                          News Release                      

 

Haiti Earthquake: A catalyst for Regional Disaster Management Support from Australia.

 

The Government of Australia signed an agreement last Friday with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) to facilitate the handing over of an initial AUS$1 million for humanitarian assistance to earthquake ravaged Haiti. This was done during a visit to the Coordinating Unit by Australian High Commissioner, Mr. Philip Kentwell where he was brought up to date on the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) Response effort to Haiti.  His discussions with CDEMA also centered on longer term support for Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) in the region.

These initial funds will be channeled into CARICOM’s medical support and services activities in Haiti as well as support for the ongoing response effort by the Community.  In addition, it will support capacity building for Haiti with regard to Disaster Risk Reduction. Additional funding to be expended by the end of June 2010 is intended to be a bridge between Australian short term funding and a long term Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Cooperative programme with CDEMA.

 The Australian High Commissioner discussed a range of potential areas of collaboration for capacity building in the region with the Executive Director of CDEMA, Jeremy Collymore.

Australia has already contributed AUS$5 million dollars for immediate emergency assistance to Haiti and further AUS$5 million for longer term reconstruction.

Collymore, in expressing his appreciation said, “This additional funding demonstrates the commitment by the Australian Government to deepen their support for disaster reduction in the region.” He also saw this as an excellent opportunity for South-South cooperation especially in support for Small Island Developing States (SIDS). 

Mr. Collymore also remarked that “the recent diversity of cooperative partnerships speaks to the buy-in by international donors of the regional comprehensive disaster management (CDM) strategy and programme.”

“CDM is the platform on which we are working to reduce disaster loss in the region and to build resilient communities.” Mr. Collymore added. 

CDEMA is coordinating CARICOM’s emergency response to Haiti, which has included deployment of military, medical and technical personnel for search and rescue operations, distribution of relief supplies, provision of medical services and performing security operations.

At a press conference on 19 January 2010, the Hon. Stephen Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Australia, said the substantial contribution to Haiti reflected the scale and extent of the disaster and Australia’s greater engagement with the Caribbean and CARICOM.   

 



--
Gert van Dijken
Caribbean Hurricane Network
http://stormcarib.com

Attachment: Press%20Release%20#3%20final.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document


- today's update from Haiti
  • By LuciensCD at aol.com
  • Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:23:44 EST
It really is today's date, the 29th.
Thanks for your time to read it.
Blessings,
Debbie

Attachment: January 28.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document


- Please Help Haiti Now...
  • By "T3inzzz" <t3inzzz at gmail.com>
  • Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2010 09:40:41 -0500

Death toll is now up to more then 200 thousand and more then 2 Million are now Homeless in HAITI... Let us All Pray for the People in HAITI... FOR ALL MY HAITIAN PEOPLE... HOLD YA HEADS UP... LET US PRAY... THIS SONG IS A PRAYER FOR MY COUNTRY... HAITI ... PLEASE SUPPORT AND DONATE AS MUCH AS YOU ARE ABLE... EVERY BIT OF HELP IS NEEDED... SUPPORT HAITI BY GOING TO THIS LINK===> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HScs8b8ZiRM

 

They say two birds of a feather flock together...

therefore if you have a HEART you also know someone who does...

Please forward this to the heart that is closest to you...  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HScs8b8ZiRM


- Fwd: Haiti Earthquake update #10
  • By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
  • Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:43:36 -0800
Please see attached.

-- 
Gert van Dijken
Caribbean Hurricane Network
http://stormcarib.com

Attachment: Haiti%20Situation%20Report%2010%20%2028.01.10.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document


- update from Haiti re: earthquake relief, Jan. 27
  • By LuciensCD at aol.com
  • Date: Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:09:55 EST
Today's update from Pignon, Haiti:

Attachment: January 27.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document


- earthquake relief update
  • By LuciensCD at aol.com
  • Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:37:27 EST
today's update from Pignon, Haiti

Attachment: January 25.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document


- a poem from a friend who was in Haiti last week.
  • By lucienscd at aol.com
  • Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2010 14:51:31 EST

     I was in a small town outside of Port au Prince during the recent earthquake.  Though the ground was shaking, I felt the palpable faith of the Haitian people. I heard them wail in the streets as they grieved the deaths of family and friends.  I watched them walk into town lonely, lost and hungry.  I saw people who were starving share their food with strangers.  Through it all I heard them praise God and depend on his personal presence in their lives.  We sang the song Great is thy faithfulness (the lyrics appear in bold letters below) together on the morning that we were evacuated from the city.  I will never forget that moment for as long as I live.    

 

Connie Peterson, Ph.D., Nursing Faculty, Concordia College, Minnesota

 

Fanmi nan Kris (“Family in Christ”)

 

Great is Thy faithfulness

I see Your face in their trusting eyes and white tooth grins….

They are starving…..Jesus can you see them?

I hear Your joy in their lilting voices…

They are hurting….Jesus can you hear them?

I sense Your love in their gracious hearts and humble service…

They are dying….Jesus can you feel them?

I feel your hands in their work worn fingers and giving spirits…..

They are lonely….Jesus can you touch them?

 

Great is Thy faithfulness

I feel their faith in Your mercy and covenant…

Jesus they are thankful.

I feel their passion when they praise Your name…

Jesus they are faithful.

I feel their trust in their treasure in heaven…

Jesus they are waiting.

 

All that I needeth Thy hand hath provideth

Yeah though they walk through the valley of the shadow of death

they fear no evil, for Thou art with them.

Thy rod and Thy staff comfort them….

And they shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever

 

Great is thy faithfulness

Jesus loves them this I know.

 


- Jan. 23 Haiti relief update
  • By lucienscd at aol.com
  • Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2010 14:24:55 EST
Enclosed is today's update from Haiti, at least our view of it.
Thanks for your ongoing interest...
Blessings,
Debbie Lucien

Attachment: January 23.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document


- Jan. 22 update
  • By lucienscd at aol.com
  • Date: Fri, 22 Jan 2010 11:39:47 EST

Dear Friends;    (attached is the same message in PDF form for those who need it)

Sorry for not getting out an update yesterday.  We were all too busy and/or too tired to compose much.   Caleb arrived back from a trip to Port au Prince at 1:30 A.M. Thursday morning.  The school bus carrying supplies also returned with some refugees earlier.  We now have some houseguests who are sharing many stories of heartbreak as well as miraculous provisions. 

     After making some logistical decisions and sending out supplies, Caleb made sure our camp staff knew what to do to finish getting the camp ready.  We have a dozen people there now with more coming daily.  What is happening is more and more people are arriving in town.  Those that have family and space would rather stay with their relatives for now.  However, they lack the supplies to feed all these folks.  We’re putting in place ways to distribute food we’ve purchased to families in need through local churches as well as our ministry office.   Caleb just told me he expects 60 more people at the camp tonight for long term residence.  While the numbers of people are small today, it’s wiser to open slowly so we can really provide the care people need.

     Thursday afternoon, Caleb then drove to Cap Haitien, Haiti’s second largest city 40 miles to the north for meetings last night and then drove this morning to Ouanaminthe, Haiti’s northern border town to pick up several volunteers.  We are beginning to allow some folks to come who have specific skill sets (medical) and experience working with refugees.  Our friends arriving from Fellowship Bible Church Memphis previously provided aid to Tsunami victims in Indonesia so we’re asking them to help us with logistics at the camp.  IF anyone feels they’d like to volunteer in future months, you may submit an application (available online at our website) to our stateside office.  Please be aware we are cautiously only asking those we know we can utilize and please be patient.  We will notify you if we can use you, thanks in advance for even considering serving, and please be patient with us as we prayerfully consider the needs here.  Many  well intentioned folks, rushing to help here, are finding themselves frustrated, so please bear with us as we work to best utilize you!

     In terms of supplies needed at present, here is a list of medical supplies that are needed throughout the country:


Most important:

Beds & mattresses

Anti-tetanus serum (SAT)

Anesthesia

Gauze roll (non sterile)

Antibiotics:  (oral or Inject)

Ceftriaxon

Ampicillin

Gentamycin

Analgesics

Anti-inflammatories

Injection water 10 ml

Oxygen tube (for operating room)

IV catheters 18, 20, 24

Ringer's Lactate IV solution

HIV tests

Plaster

Cotton rolls

Next Priority:

Lidocaine 2%

Regular Insulin

Insulin NPH

Syringes 2, 3, 5, 10 cc's

Marcaine spinal 0.5%

Ephedrine

Diazepam vials

Diclofenac

Tramadol

Ibuprofen

Adhesive

Isofurane

Betadine Dermique (gallon)

Hydrogen Peroxide (gallon)

Gloves medium (disposable)

Permanganate

Suture Chromic 0-; 1; 2-0; 3-0;

Suture Vicryl 0-; 1; 2-0; 3-0

Lubricant

Foley Cath's 16, 18, 20

Gloves sterile 7-8

Nifedipine sublingual

IV solutions:  NaCL .9%

D5 W, DS 0.9, DS 0,225

Chlorox

Orthopedic supplies: 

Kuntsher nails

Muller screws

philliip screws

Broches de steinman 5/32

splinters

Braces, immobilizers

Kinesic tape


     Gathered donations may be sent to the following address, boxes (marked with contents on the outside).   Hosean International Ministries, c/o 3170 Airman’s Drive, Unit 1076 HIM, Fort Pierce, FL 34946.

If you’d like to assist with shipping cost from Florida to Haiti, you may send donations for $1.75/lb. to our ministry office address or send online via www.hosean.org. Just FYI, all donations being sent for the next month online are being processed without fees courtesy of PayPal to help with the relief efforts.    Also, because of the emergency, there are no customs fees being levied on relief supplies, so everything is coming in for the next 6 weeks very quickly. 

Caleb is coordinating all medical equipment with Dr. Claude Surena, his fellow Rotarian, who is the national coordinator for medical relief.  Your supplies will go to the greatest need to hospitals throughout the country.

 

     In the coming weeks and months, we anticipate needing other practical supplies like light summer weight clothing for all ages.  Haitian people tend to be smaller sizes.  If you’d like to begin collecting clothes you may do that and we’ll let you know when we’re ready to receive more of those.  Also, if anyone has contacts to package potable water, we have available a water filtration plant locally.  The most efficient would be to find plastic bottles or bags (empty) designed for drinking water.   We can fill them here and ship them south and to those around us. 

 

     We sense we are moving into the next phases of aid now. Please continue to pray for family and staff as we plan and implement outreaches. 

 

Blessings from Haiti!

 

Debbie Lucien

www.hosean.org

 

Attachment: January 22.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document


- Fwd: CDEMA Sitrep#9 CARICOM Strengthening Haiti Relief Activities
  • By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
  • Date: Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:14:56 -0800


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Situation Reports - Public <webmaster at cdera.org>
Date: Thu, Jan 21, 2010 at 2:02 PM
Subject: CDEMA Sitrep#9 CARICOM Strengthening Haiti Relief Activities



SIT REP #9

HAITI EARTHQUAKE

By CDEMA

Thursday, January 21, 2010

 

 

MESSAGE:  7.0 HAITI EARTHQUAKE UPDATE #9 CARICOM Strengthening Haiti Relief Activities (As at 16:00 hrs, January 21, 2010)

 

THE SITUATION:

 

An aftershock of magnitude 6.1 was felt as late as yesterday January 20, 2010 in Haiti.  No significant damages were reported as a result of the aftershock. 

 

However, the situation on the island is improving slowly. Efforts are being made to clean the main thoroughfares and collect some of the garbage off the streets. There are at least two areas where garbage is set on fire in an attempt to dispose of it.

 

Commerce has restarted throughout the city of Port-au-Prince along the roadside with hundreds of vendors selling from cooked food to gasoline and general merchandise.

 

Thousands of people continue to traffic throughout the city during the daylight periods (in vehicles and on foot) and there are numerous traffic jams especially en-route to and from the airport. There are no reports of dead bodies around the roadside

 

 

REGIONAL RESPONSE ACTIONS:

 

The CARICOM Contingent continues to provide emergency response and relief support to the affected population in Port of Prince from two locations.

Main Base:     A main base camp is established at the Food for the Poor compound where the administration and logistics functions are carried out. This is about one mile from the airport and is a secure and clean location. The CARICOM forces provide the security for the entire complex and are supported by the local security guards who function as translators.

Command Post: CARICOM has established a command post at the Toussaint L’Ouverture International Airport to manage the logistics and coordination of CARICOM relief aid and personnel arriving in Haiti.

Duties: The Contingent continues to provide Security for search and rescue teams and security details around both camps.  They are also providing escorts for both the United Nations food distribution and Food for the Poor convoys.

Communications: The Command Post has established radio communications to support operations on the ground.  Digicel, the local telecommunications network, has donated 20 hand held radios to support CARICOM relief activities.  Local cell phone service remains intermittent text messaging has proven to be more reliable.

Regional Fund Raising and Pledges (New)

Antigua and Barbuda has dispatched relief supplies via the LIAT provided aircraft to the regional staging point for relief activities in Haiti, Jamaica.  The Government of Antigua and Barbuda has opened an account at the Antigua Commercial Bank to receive donations for the Haiti relief fund.  Other find raising activities are being planned.

Guyana: US$13, 000.00 was raised in a countrywide telethon for the Haiti relief effort.  Guyana also has available for donation two (2) containers of lumber as well as bottled water, bottled refined oil and pharmaceuticals.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines: EC$ 37,000.00 was raised in a countrywide telethon for the Haiti relief effort.  They are also making available a 20 ft container with water and a 40 ft container with food supplies.

Virgin Islands: US$80,000.00 has been pledged to the Haiti relief effort and.  Another US$180,000.00 was raised by civil society.   In addition two (2) doctors along with orthopedic tools and supplies for surgeries were sent to Haiti via charter flights secured by the Rotary Clubs.

 

 

CONTACT DETAILS: The CDEMA CU 24-hour contact number is (246) 425 0386.        

 



--
Gert van Dijken
Caribbean Hurricane Network
http://stormcarib.com

Attachment: Haiti%20Situation%20Report%209%20%2021.01.10.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document


- Fwd: CDEMA strengthens response to Haiti
  • By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
  • Date: Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:05:29 -0800


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <webmaster at cdera.org>
Date: Wed, Jan 20, 2010 at 5:24 PM

CARICOM efforts to provide relief to Haiti after the 7.0 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 are being strengthened following an assessment of the situation on the ground. 

News Release  

CARICOM strengthens response to Haiti

Bridgetown, Barbados, January 20, 2010 (CDEMA) – CARICOM efforts to provide relief to Haiti after the 7.0 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 are being strengthened following an assessment of the situation on the ground.  Executive Director of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) Jeremy Collymore updated on the CARICOM response to Haiti at a press conference today at the CDEMA Coordinating Unit in Barbados.

The Executive Director stressed the role that the region has played to date singling out the role of Jamaica, the CDEMA Sub Regional Focal Point (SRFP) with responsibility for Haiti. 

Immediately on receiving notification of the earthquake, the Director of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) communicated with the Executive Director of CDEMA and confirmed that Jamaica as the SRFP with responsibility for Haiti, would take the lead on immediate actions in response to the event.

Collymore said, “It is important to recognize the efforts of Jamaica within the larger context of the Regional Response Mechanism (RRM).  The mission by the Jamaican Prime Minister was the genesis for informing the community’s prioritizing focus of its efforts in Haiti.”

 “Jamaica (the SRFP) responded to the catastrophe within the first 24 hours deploying a Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) vessel with military personnel and emergency supplies and is now the staging point for CARICOM relief activities to Haiti.” 

CDEMA’s SRFP has provided search and rescue support, rescuing three persons and recovering two bodies in collaboration with international agencies.  Additionally, the team has provided health support services, treating approximately 400 persons and performing minor surgeries.  The team is also conducting ongoing public health awareness activities.

The SRFP is also providing security assistance to the World Food Programme’s (WFP) efforts and the more than 350 personnel from eleven CARICOM countries currently involved in the operations area.

The CDEMA head declared that responding to the Haiti earthquake has been “the major challenge to the humanitarian response practice globally in recent times.”

He noted that a major challenge to the response effort is  “congestion on the ground of ‘unprioritised’ response driven more by emotional considerations rather than a structured mechanism have contributed to delays in the delivery of aid.” He said   the delivery of emergency aid is further compromised by the damage to the sea ports.

As CARICOM intensifies its response, efforts will be centered on both short and long term initiatives in the targeted community.

He noted that the Community’s intervention going forward will be based on three principles. It is holistic, targeted and developmental.

The primary focus will be on the health sector. This will encompass assessment of facilities, emergency repair, provision of medical and support personnel, critical medical supplies, emergency supplies and security.

Regional governments have already pledged four million US dollars along with a cadre of emergency support, supplies and materials to the Haiti relief effort.  This does not include the substantial fund raising activities by civil society.

CARICOM has also enhanced its presence in Haiti with a Special Coordinator appointed by CDEMA who is working with Haiti Civil Defence Protection, and the CARICOM security forces, international donors and humanitarian community on the ground to ensure a sustained and effective coordination of the CARICOM relief efforts. 

In addition, the CARICOM Disaster Relief Unit (CDRU) will continue to deploy regional emergency and medical personnel to strengthen and support the work of 350 CARICOM personnel already on the ground.

CARICOM recognizes the need for the continued support of Haiti beyond the response period and will continue to work towards meeting those needs beyond this initial response phase.




--
Gert van Dijken
Caribbean Hurricane Network
http://stormcarib.com

- Fwd: today's update from Haiti
  • By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
  • Date: Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:01:36 -0800
Attached a PDF file with an update from Debbie Lucien, one of our hurricane correspondents, who lives in the Central Plateau of Haiti.

--
Gert van Dijken
Caribbean Hurricane Network
http://stormcarib.com

Attachment: January 20 earthquake relief.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document


- Earth quake Late news
  • By Jean Came Poulard <jcpoulard at gmail.com>
  • Date: Wed, 20 Jan 2010 11:22:50 -0500
A 6.1 afterschok this morning shake Port-au-Prince and panic the people.

Some very hard strike cities :
Leogane : 4,200 dead and 5,000 missing
Petit Goave
Grand Goave
Jacmel : 3,000 dead
Gressier

People need every thing down here. Water and food are the priorities for the survivors. But on thing I need to point on it ... the Hiatian Government officer are not credible and Organization need to over pass them and distribute what they have directly to the people.  "Don't forget the 7.3 earthquake haven't destroy the corrupted system on this country.

I will inform you longer than I ca have Internet access.

Jean Came Poulard
From Port-au-Prince


Jean Came Poulard
Ingénieur informatique / Software designer
Logipam Developer manager  
509 36 01 29 59
http://www.logipam.org
jcpoulard at logipam.org


- Fwd: Haiti Earthquake Situation Report # 8
  • By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
  • Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2010 19:02:37 -0800


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Situation Reports - Public <webmaster at cdera.org>
Date: Mon, Jan 18, 2010 at 4:57 PM



SIT REP #8

HAITI EARTHQUAKE
By CDEMA
Monday, 18, January, 2010


MESSAGE:  7.0 HAITI EARTHQUAKE UPDATE #8 CARICOM’s front line response in Haiti providing health services and search and rescue support (As at 15:30 hrs, January 17, 2010)


THE EVENT:

Port-au Prince, the capital city of Haiti has been devastated by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake which struck the island on Tuesday, January 12, 2010. Damage has been of catastrophic proportions with almost 80 percent of the structures in the capital destroyed. There has been significant loss of life and it is estimated that approximately three (3) million people (or one third of the population) has been affected. An aftershock measuring 4.6 magnitude was reported to have been felt this afternoon.


THE SITUATION:

The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), leading the CARICOM Response in Haiti, has identified areas that have been severely affected and have not received humanitarian support.  Additionally, the distribution of supplies is being challenged by limited transport and limited fuel supplies.

Search and Rescue efforts are continuing despite the passage of the critical 72 hour period but are reportedly hampered by inaccessibility to areas, lack of heavy duty equipment and limited fuel supplies.

CARICOM support teams are communicating via email, satellite phones and VHF radios even as overall communication in Haiti remains a major challenge.

According to the Haiti Ministry of the Interior, Department of Civil Protection: many injuries, deaths and loss of homes are reported from Leogane (1,300 injured, 581 deaths), Petit Goave (2,000 injured), Grand Goave (3,000 injured, 14,000 homeless, and Gressier (80% of homes destroyed.

There has been an influx of people to Gonaive, San Marc and Jiman.  Local hospitals are overwhelmed.


ACCESSIBILITY:

The airport in Haiti is open for daytime operations and at this time entry is restricted to military and humanitarian flights. There is no possibility of any over-flights due to very limited staffing.
Refueling options at Port au Prince Toussaint L'Ouverture International Airport (MPTT) are uncertain. Once (if) the ground stop is released, aircrafts filed for MPTT should plan at least one hour of holding fuel and enough extra fuel to get to a secondary airport after departing.

The Port is currently non-operational.

Availability of ground transportation in Haiti is a challenge for rescue operations.  The main access road into Port au Prince has been cleared and is open.  Secondary roads are still blocked. The road from Jacmel to Port au Prince is passable for "all terrain" vehicles (i.e. 4WD).  The road from Santo Domingo to Port au Prince is becoming congested as much cargo is already moving.



REGIONAL RESPONSE ACTIONS:

The Tactical Advance Party (TAP) for CARICOM arrived in Haiti yesterday and met with the Cabinet Minister of the Interior Ministry Mr. Pierre Andre Paul to discuss Haiti’s immediate needs and CARICOM’s proposed responses.  The team is also liaising with international donor and response agencies providing humanitarian support to the Government of Haiti.

Logistical arrangements on the ground are being advanced to strengthen CARICOM’s front line response through Jamaica, the Sub Regional Focal Point, which is being executed as follows:

  1. Medical staff are performing minor surgeries and procedures at the Bernard News Hospital and the Freres Community Hospital in Haiti.
  2. Firefighters from the Jamaican Fire Brigade assembled into two teams are performing Search and Rescue missions under the auspices of the International Search and Rescue Association located at the Toussaint L’Ouverture International Airport.  Preliminary reports indicate that three people have been rescued by the team so far; and
  3. CARICOM’s Contingent members are performing security tasks associated with search and rescue and medical intervention missions.

The CARICOM Secretariat facilitated a teleconference today with the Bureau of CARICOM Health Ministers comprising the Honourable Leslie Ramsammy of Guyana, Honourable Donville Inniss of Barbados, Honourable Anne Peters of Grenada and CDEMA and PAHO to discuss the further actions for implementing the CARICOM health intervention in Haiti.  This will be further elaborated through a teleconference involving Ministers of Health and Chief Medical Officers of CARICOM states tomorrow Tuesday, January 19, 2010.

The outcomes of this teleconference will be shared with National Disaster Coordinators of CDEMA Participating States at a teleconference immediately thereafter where the logistical details and country pledge assistance for the delivery of the intervention will be advanced.
Director of National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) in Saint Lucia Ms. Dawn French will be deployed to Haiti tomorrow January 19, 2010 to provide Emergency support to the Emergency Operations Centre in support of the Civil Defence Commission in Haiti.

Arrangements are currently underway to facilitate deployment of the CARICOM Disaster Relief Unit (CDRU) into Haiti on Thursday 21, January 2010. The CDRU is estimated to comprise thirty-one (31) members from the CDEMA Participating States, namely Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.  Areas of critical need are being identified.

CDEMA continues to communicate with the JDF and the Department of Civil Protection in Haiti following the initiation of contact on January 14, 2010 and the Tactical Advance Party (TAP) who are currently in Haiti. HAM Radio communication although limited, is being monitored with the support of the Barbados Amateur Radio Society who is keeping CDEMA updated on critical information as it emerges.


PLEDGES:

Pledges continue to be received:

The Virgin Islands UK has pledged US$80,000.00 to the Haiti relief activities.


 CONTACT DETAILS: The CDEMA CU 24-hour contact number is (246) 425 0386.



--
Gert van Dijken
Caribbean Hurricane Network
http://stormcarib.com

- Six days later
  • By Martin Bush <mb.haiti at gmail.com>
  • Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:35:03 -0500
I went today with colleagues up to St Marc and back looking for places where displaced persons might have set up a temporary camps where they may have been overlooked by the relief efforts focused on Port au Prince.   We found a couple of places where now homeless people had set down temporarily.  These places were all noted with GPS coordinates and relayed to USAID office so that the agencies that distribute supplies of water and food could be notified.  People are responding now in two ways.  There are those who immediately left their homes and sought shelter elsewhere.  These are people who will travel across Haiti if necessary to find shelter from friends and family.  They clearly have no strong ties to the house where they lived.  Then there are the people who stand guard on their demolished homes and who are camped out in the gardens or in the streets in front of their houses.  This groups will not leave their residence.
 
The mobile group, after an initial flight to an open space close to where they were living, are now now heading out to their friends and relatives in the provinces.   Hundreds of people a day are on the buses from Port au Prince to Cap Haitien.   Others will be traveling to Jacmel and the other towns not affected by the quake (although Jacmel suffered damage).  This travel is a good thing and is being promoted and facilitated by local government agencies of towns like Cap Haitien.  It gets homeless families out of Port au Prince and into a more secure and supportive family environment.   The families that remain are difficult to help because they are spread over large areas.  Every back street may have 20 or 30 families camped out along the way and often in the street itself.   There are still thousands of people and children sleeping in the streets of Port au Prince.
 
Little hope remains now for those trapped in the rubble.   The death toll now is reckoned to be over 100,000 -- by far the biggest disaster in tiny Haiti's colorful but troubled history.
 
Security is our main concern.  Last night, gunshots echoed across Petionville,  These may be caused by nervous residents over reacting to a noise in the street or even something as ordinary and natural as a falling mango  (like the one that fell on my car the other night at 2 in the morning and made such a bang that I jumped out of bed wondering -- is this fight or flight ?).  Mangoes of course are a relatively easy foe.
 
Driving through Port au Prince today the images are still shocking even now .  Down on Delmas at the airport intersection there is an area where almost every house is destroyed.  Every house where a family of 6 or 7 people and children were living has collapsed. The house lie flatened as if squashed by a giant foot or smashed by a giant's hammer. 
 
MB
 
 

- Fwd: Haiti Earthquake Update #6 CARICOM advances efforts to provide health related support to Haiti.
  • By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
  • Date: Sat, 16 Jan 2010 13:49:28 -0800


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <webmaster at cdera.org>
Date: Sat, Jan 16, 2010 at 1:20 PM



SIT REP #6
HAITI EARTHQUAKE

By CDEMA
Saturday, 16 Jan, 2010
 
MESSAGE:  7.0 HAITI EARTHQUAKE UPDATE #6 CARICOM advances efforts to provide health related support to Haiti. (As at 15:30 hrs, January 16, 2010)
 
THE EVENT:
Port-au Prince, the capital city of Haiti has been devastated by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake which struck the island on Tuesday, January 12, 2010. Damage has been of catastrophic proportions with almost 80 percent of the structures in the capital destroyed. There has been significant loss of life and it is estimated that approximately three (3) million people (or one third of the population) has been affected.
 
THE SITUATION:
Search and Rescue efforts are continuing but are reportedly hampered by inaccessibility to areas, lack of heavy duty equipment and limited fuel supplies. Communication on the ground remains very poor. All efforts are being made to restore communication as soon as possible. 
 
ACCESSIBILITY:
Jamaica has offered the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston as a staging area for the deployment of relief assistance to Haiti. The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assumed responsibility for facilitating access by air. Entities proposing flights into Haiti are encouraged to make contact with the Director of Civil Aviation in Jamaica.

The airport in Haiti is open for daytime operations and at this time entry is restricted to military and humanitarian flights. No possibility of any over-flights due to very limited staffing.

There is no fuel available at Port au Prince Toussaint L'Ouverture International Airport (MPTT). Once (if) the ground stop is released, aircraft filed for MTPP should plan at least one hour of holding fuel and enough extra fuel to get to a secondary airport after departing MTPP without refueling.

The Port is currently non-operational.

Main urban roads in Port au Prince (including the airport road) are being cleared by MINUSTAH and the Brazilian battalion. The road from Jacmel to Port au Prince is passable for "all terrain" vehicles (i.e. 4WD).  The road from Santo Domingo to Port au Prince is becoming congested as much cargo is already moving.


REGIONAL RESPONSE ACTIONS:

The Tactical Advance Party for CARICOM, previously called “The Regional Technical Assessment Team”, is confirmed to depart Barbados for Haiti on Sunday, January 17, 2010 at 6:30 AM. This team will harness information and establish logistical arrangement for delivery of the Region’s Health Sector intervention.
CDEMA convened a meeting today with the Minister of Health in Barbados, Honourable Donville Inniss and the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Joy St. John as an input to strengthen the arrangements for CARICOM intervention in the health sector in Haiti.
As part of the CARICOM effort in Haiti, the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) has deployed 254 soldiers and 29 medical personnel to Haiti. Warehousing facilities have been established and they are receiving relief supplies. A base has been secured to accommodate the CARICOM Disaster Relief Unit (CDRU) contingent, which is expected to arrive in Haiti on Tuesday, 19 January 2010.

JDF personnel will work towards restoring cell phone communications and disseminate relief supplies. The Office for Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) in Jamaica has secured limited fuel supplies (air and sea) for search, rescue and relief operations to be carried out by JDF and CDRU.

CDEMA continues to communicate with the JDF and the Department of Civil Protection in Haiti following the initiation of contact on January 14, 2010. HAM Radio communication although limited, is being monitored with the support of the Barbados Amateur Radio Society.

PLEDGES:

Pledges continue to be received:
 
i.    Three volunteers from Grenada have offered support relief efforts in Haiti.
ii.    Anguilla Fire and Rescue Service is working through a Miami Fire Agency offer support to response teams and the Anguillan Red Cross has two accounts set up to receive donations for Haiti. Other forms of relief items are being sought from the general public. 
iii.    The Government of Suriname has pledged an initial amount of USD 1 million, and military and police troops to assist in the security and relief efforts. There is a 40 ft container load with Blankets, water, stretchers ready to be shipped.  The Fire Department of Suriname also has a rescue unit and Hi-Jet Helicopters ready to be deployed.

CONTACT DETAILS: The CDEMA CU 24-hour contact number is             1(246) 425 0386         1(246) 425 0386
 
 

 


--
Gert van Dijken
Caribbean Hurricane Network
http://stormcarib.com

- Fwd: Haiti Earthquake Update #5- CARICOM Intervention in Haiti to focus on the Health Sector
  • By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
  • Date: Sat, 16 Jan 2010 10:08:08 -0800


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <webmaster at cdera.org>
Date: Fri, Jan 15, 2010 at 6:12 PM



SIT REP #5
HAITI EARTHQUAKE
By CDEMA
Frida y, 15 Jan, 2010
 
MESSAGE:  7.0 HAITI EARTHQUAKE UPDATE #5 CARICOM Intervention in Haiti to focus on the Health Sector. (As at 9.00 PM, January 15, 2010)

THE EVENT:
Port-au Prince, the capital city of Haiti has been devastated by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake which struck the island on Tuesday, January 12, 2010. Damage has been of catastrophic proportions with almost 80 percent of the structures in the capital destroyed. There has been significant loss of life and it is estimated that approximately three (3) million people (or one third of the population) has been affected.

THE SITUATION:
Search and Rescue efforts are continuing but are reportedly hampered by inaccessibility to areas and lack of heavy duty equipment. Hospitals and health facilities have been severely affected and the health issues of those affected remain an immediate concern.

ACCESSIBILITY:
Jamaica has offered the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston as a staging area for the deployment of relief assistance to Haiti. The airport in Haiti is open for daytime operations and at this time entry is restricted to military and humanitarian flights. The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assumed responsibility for facilitating access by air. Entities proposing flights into Haiti are encouraged to make contact with the Director of Civil Aviation in Jamaica.

There has been damage to both sea ports in Haiti. Roads are reportedly extremely difficult to navigate.

REGIONAL RESPONSE ACTIONS:
The high-level meeting convened on January 14, 2010 by The Chairman of CARICOM, the Honourable Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of Dominica; and hosted by the Honourable Bruce Golding, Prime Minister of Jamaica has identified the Health Sector as the agreed area of focus for the coordinated regional intervention.

CDEMA Participating States have been invited to identify areas of potential support based on the requirements of the health based intervention.

The Regional Technical Assessment team is undertaking final preparations for deployment to Haiti on Sunday, January 16, 2010. This team will harness information to inform the nature and scope of the region’s Health Sector intervention.
The Government of Jamaica has agreed to receive earthquake victims in their hospitals which have been placed on alert.

The Secretariat of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States has been engaged to assist in the procurement of medical supplies for the coordinated intervention.

The Emergency Relief Grant Funding through the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) is being accessed by CDEMA on behalf of Haiti.

Options are being explored for the transportation of relief supplies and personnel.

CDEMA continues to communicate with the Department of Civil Protection in Haiti following the initiation of contact on January 14, 2010. HAM Radio communication although limited is being monitored with the support of the Barbados Amateur Radio Society.

PLEDGES:
Pledges continue to be received:

i.    The Government of Grenada has pledged US $100,000.
ii.    Regional air carrier LIAT has pledged one aircraft and pilots to support the regional response efforts.
iii.    CARILEC the regional association of electric utilities has pledged support to assist with Haiti’s electric utilities.
iv.    LIME Jamaica intends to launch a “TEXT” appeal and all funds received will be made available to CDEMA for the regional response to Haiti.
v.    The International Telecommunication Union has allocated over US$1 million.  Equipment and personnel are being deployed to re-establish communication links. ITU will also be setting up a complete cellular system to enable wireless communications. This system is specially designed to assist in strengthening response and recovery mechanisms in a disaster zone.

CONTACT DETAILS: The CDEMA CU 24-hour contact number is 1(246) 425 0386




--
Gert van Dijken
Caribbean Hurricane Network
http://stormcarib.com

- Earthquake
  • By Martin Bush <mb.haiti at gmail.com>
  • Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:43:13 -0500
Almost two days after the earthquake hit at 4.50 pm on Tuesday.   I was lucky.  I was miles away in Montrouis sitting in a car in a traffic jam.    My wife and chidren were at home in Petionville, but the house withstood the quake with no obvious damage.   The scene in the capital is horrendous.  Bodies are so piled up in some streets they are blocking vehicle access.  Estimates are at least 50,000 dead and may go as high as 100,000.   The scenes on CNN and the other channels bear testimony to the destruction and misery.   The problem now is twofold.  There is the immediate need to dig people out of the rubble.  Hundreds of buidlings were destroyed and nearly all will have people trapped inside.  Many will still be alive -- but not for long.  Heavy machinery is needed.   The other aspects is the homeless and injured people and families crowding into public spaces and sleeping in the open.  Thankfully it hasn't rained and the satellite photos show clear skies across the caribbean.and the atlantic.   Just in Petionville in the two small public areas : Place St Pierre and Place Boyer, there must be at least 5,000 people sleeping rough trying to manage with the elderly and young children.  The trauma for the small children must be horrible.   There is no food, no water, no toilets, no nothing.  This situation is repeated all along Delmas and Canapa Vert, and of course it will be worse in Port au Prince.  Along Canape Vert, the majority of houses were destroyed.  Many areas look exctly like they were hit by a massive bomb
 
The relief effort is swinging into action.  My view is that it gotten  underway with speed and determination.   Some people expect help to arrive within minutes, but a relief effort of any magnitude takes at least 24 hours just to get organised even before it sets out for Haiti.  The Government itself of course is talking.  And talking.
 
The UN system was hard hit.   Hotel Montana collapsed when half the hillside slipped several metres.  Hotel Cristophe-- the UN's main office centre-- was flattened.  This may explain the lack of UN police and MINUSTAH on the streets during the 24 hours after the quake.   Security is increasingly a concern.  There are already reports of attempted highjacking of cars.  MINUSTAH has to get an immediate and high profile grip on security -- working with the PNH.  Reports say several prisoners escaped; others undoubtedy perished in the several police stations that collapsed.
 
This website gives the contact information for three good and reputable relief agencies.  This is best way to help Haiti at the present time. 
 
More tomorrow after I return to Petionville from Montrouis.
 
Martin
 
 

- Chris and Leslie Rolling in Haiti working to aid the Haitian people
  • By barbara jonusaitis <bjonusaitis at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2010 06:27:41 -0800 (PST)

Hi,  You may not realize that I have been a volunteer for Clean Water For Haiti for a number of years. I have copied into the note the text of an important letter that Chris wrote after working in Port au Prince for two days before any aid had arrived.
 
If you want to get a feel for the people who are running Clean Water for Haiti, Chris and Leslie Rolling, check out their blog.
It is simple, open and powerful communication about their experience. Their entries are from  their personal experience, out among the people, in this crisis.

http://rollingsinhaiti.wordpress.com

http://rollingsinhaiti.wordpress.com/2010/01/13/earthquake-day-in-port-au-prince/
Chris's letter after rescue effort in PAP.

"

Earthquake Day in Port au Prince

13 01 2010

Yesterday was absolutely terrible.  I’m going to share my whole experience because I’m hoping it will be therapeutic. In any case I think I’m going to have nightmares for a long time.

I spent the day in Port au Prince getting a loaner vehicle from the Toyota dealer and then taking care of some mission business. On my way out of town in the afternoon, I was on Delmas 9 (I think) and the loaner vehicle I had just picked up broke down. I called the dealer to come get it. Shortly after they arrived, the earthquake hit.

I’m ashamed of the first thought that went through my mind, which was “Cool, I’ve never been in a big earthquake before!” As the quake rolled on, though, I remembered the conversations I’ve had with the other missionaries about what an earthquake would mean for Haiti. Of course, it would be devastating. Construction materials and methods aren’t just shoddy, they’re suicidal, but now isn’t the time to rampage, just to tell you about my experiences.

I didn’t actually fall on the ground, but I stumbled around quite a bit. When the tremors ceased, a large dust cloud was rising from the building a few doors down. A 3 story school full of teenage girls had collapsed. I stood around looking stupid for longer than I’d like to admit. I looked at the truck from Toyota, tried to call my wife (the service was out) and looked around me at people’s reactions. Virtually everyone reacted in strange ways.  Eventually, I went to the school and started working to pull trapped students from the wreckage.

The work was very hard because I was working by myself. People would come up and shout into the wreckage, “Is so-and-so inside?” at the top of their lungs repeatedly. I would ask for help in moving rubble and they would say they have to find their own people. One guy stayed and helped, on and off. I got one girl out, who was very frantic. I told her to stop shouting and pray for help. She was about 10 feet deep under the collapsed cement roof of the building. At one point I went and borrowed a hammer from someone to break up the large piece of cement that she was trapped behind. The aftershocks scared the crap out of me, and I really didn’t like being under that cement slab.  There was an obviously dead woman under the slab with us.

When the girl was out, I took my hammer and moved over to find the next trapped girl. All I could see was her face and left arm, and she frantically called out to me. I asked her to calm down because it would help me to work and asked her to pray for both of us. She calmed down and became very brave. I was having trouble seeing her where she was jammed under the slab. I pulled out a very large piece of rubble that didn’t really help Jacqueline at all (her name was Jacqueline). There was some sort of object behind that rubble and when I went to move it it turned out to be another girl’s bottom. The girl cried out but I could barely hear her – her whole head was underneath rubble.

At this point I began to realize that I was in over my head. All I had was a hammer, and it was quickly becoming pitch dark with twilight fading and no electricity anywhere. I tried to borrow a flashlight, but it was impossible. I had a moment of feeling intense helplessness. After thinking and praying for a minute, I told Jacqueline that I had to leave her and find more help. I couldn’t do anything without a flashlight, and she needed to keep praying and remember that her parents were coming to look for her.

I walked 4 or 5 miles to a place where I could get a bus, then got on one eventually made it home just after 9pm. On my way home, I resolved to return to Port au Prince the next day with 2 trucks full of tools and workers to do whatever we could. I met a guy on the bus who was holding a sandwich. He had left his house to go buy a sandwich when the earthquake hit. He returned to his home to find it flattened, then went to the school that he teaches at to find it flattened. With nothing left but a sandwich in his hand, and $7 in his sock, he set out for Cap Haitien to be with the rest of his family.

I slept a little bit last night even though I kept thinking of Jacqueline and her classmate stuck in the rubble, in the dark. This morning all of the workers enthusiastically loaded all the tools we could use into the trucks along with food and water and set off for Port au Prince. I took them to the school and quickly made my way to the place Jacqueline and the other student were but both of them were dead.

Some of the local people had been working through the night to rescue their loved ones. They had found lighting and hack saws and had already pulled some people out, including a lot of bodies. We joined their efforts with our power tools. Quickly, we pulled out two more living girls and then a third. The fourth and fifth were a lot more work and each had a severely crushed foot. After that, there were no more cries for help, even when everybody went quiet in order to listen. Lots of dead bodies were still stuck, but getting at them would require large machines.

At that point, I decided to tackle the problem of the growing pile of bodies, which were starting to smell. A volunteer from the community collected all the identifying information he could, and the various family members all signed off. It turned out to be a mistake. The General Hospital, which houses Port au Prince’s only government run morgue, has been destroyed. After we had already loaded the bodies (10 or so) the problem was explained to me. I saw some nuns driving by and asked them where I could find a morgue and they told me that they buried their dead directly, and they heard talk of a big hole being dug out by Ti Tanyen for the others. So we unloaded the bodies back into the lane, where I’m sure they still remain.

We spent an hour boring a hole through a floor into a collapsed chamber to try to rescue a 2 year old child but the cries had stopped before we even began.

We’re not going to go back tomorrow because I strongly suspect that most people that can be rescued have already been rescued, and buildings that still have survivors will have plenty of volunteers from now on. Today was by far the most important day for rescues.

This has been a very emotional experience for me. The bodies stopped bothering me after a while, but I think what I will always carry with me is the conversation I had with Jacqueline before I left her. How could I leave someone who was dying, trapped in a building! That’s so wrong! At the very least, she needed someone to sit and comfort her in her last hours. But if I hadn’t found my way home last night, then today I wouldn’t have been able to bring the CWH crew in. Still, leaving her was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. She seemed so brave when I left! I told her I was going to get help, but I didn’t tell her I would be gone until morning. I think this is going to trouble me for a long time."


Chris Rolling

Clean Water For Haiti




Please pray for the people of Haiti
forwarded by Your friend
Barb Jonusaitis

www.cleanwaterforhaiti.org

Please consider a donation to help support our work to aid the people of Haiti 


- Fwd: 7.0 HAITI EARTHQUAKE UPDATE #4 - Jamaica is staging area for flights into Haiti
  • By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
  • Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2010 18:44:47 -0800


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <webmaster at cdera.org>
Date: Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 6:27 PM


MESSAGE:  7.0 HAITI EARTHQUAKE UPDATE #4 Jamaica is staging area for flights into Haiti (As at 9.00 PM, January 14, 2010)

The Event:
Haiti was struck by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday, January 12, 2010.  The earthquake has resulted in catastrophic damage to the capital Port-Au-Prince and significant loss of life. It is estimated that approximately three (3) million people have been affected.

Reports suggest that several thousand people remain trapped in collapsed buildings making search and rescue a critical need. 

Hospitals and health facilities have been severely affected. Immediate health priorities include:  treatment of people with major trauma injuries; preventing the infection of wounds; provision of clean water; sanitation; and ensuring breast-feeding is continued.

Communication options remain limited.

Accessibility
Only military and humanitarian flights are being allowed into Haiti at this time. The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is responsible for facilitating access by air. 

Jamaica has offered the airport in Kingston as a staging area into Haiti.  Entities proposing flights into Haiti are encouraged to make contact with the Director of Civil Aviation in Jamaica.

Both sea ports in Haiti have been damaged. There have been reports of extensive damage to roads.

Regional Response Actions
CDEMA has established contact with the Department of Civil Protection in Haiti who are regrouping and mobilising resources. HAM Radio communication with Haiti has been achieved with some success though limited and is being monitored.

The CARICOM high level delegation left for Haiti today and are expected to arrive in Haiti tomorrow as scheduled. CDEMA’s Executive Director is with the delegation.

The Regional Response Assessment team will now be deployed to Haiti on Saturday January 15, 2010 instead of tomorrow as previously advised due to some unforeseen delays.

The Government of Saint Lucia has launched a Haiti Earthquake Appeal Fund.

The Turks and Caicos Islands have pledged heavy duty equipment and operators as well as medical supplies and personnel.

Pledges
Pledges continue to be received:

i.    DHL has confirmed that shipping of relief supplies will be done in conjunction with the Red Cross.  DHL Barbados office has also pledge financial aid.
ii.    The Government of Canada has pledged 1500 VHF radios and the value of $10,000.000 Canadian dollars worth of batteries.

CONTACT DETAILS: The CDEMA CU 24-hour contact number is 1(246) 425 0386



--
Gert van Dijken
Caribbean Hurricane Network
http://stormcarib.com

- Fwd: 7.0 HAITI EARTHQUAKE UPDATE #3 CDEMA Coordinating Pledges of Aid for Haiti
  • By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
  • Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2010 15:18:19 -0800


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Situation Reports - Public <webmaster at cdera.org>
Date: Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 3:14 PM
Subject: 7.0 HAITI EARTHQUAKE UPDATE #3 CDEMA Coordinating Pledges of Aid for Haiti



MESSAGE:  7.0 HAITI EARTHQUAKE UPDATE #3 CDEMA Coordinating Pledges of Aid for Haiti
 

THE EVENT:
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake located 18.451°N, 72.445°W struck the island of Haiti on Tuesday January 12th, 2010 at about 5:53 PM Atlantic Standard Time (AST). According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake struck 15 km (10 miles) South West of Port-au-Prince at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles).  Aftershocks are still being felt.

Reports indicate that there has been extensive damage to Port-au-Prince and causalities may be in excess of 100,000 and hence an urgent need for search and rescue support.  It is estimated that approximately three (3) million people have been affected.

CDEMA has initiated a level three (3) response based on preliminary reports on the extent of devastation in Haiti. This level of activation is initiated in cases where disasters overwhelm the capacity of the affected state(s) to respond. It is the highest level of activation by CDEMA and triggers the Regional Response Mechanism.

PROGNOSIS:
There remains a continuing threat from aftershocks resulting in collapse of damaged structures and the possibility of landslides. 

THE SITUATION:
Current preliminary information indicates that there has been wide spread damage in Port Au Prince. Hospitals, government agencies and international organizations buildings are among the buildings that have been damaged or destroyed.

Communication:
CDEMA has established contact with the Department of Civil Protection in Haiti who are regrouping and mobilising resources. HAM Radio communication with Haiti has been achieved with some success though limited and is being monitored.

Utilities:
Utilities including water, electricity and telephone services have been disrupted and communication remains a challenge. 

Health:
Hospitals and health facilities have been severely affected. The main hospital in Port-au-Prince has collapsed and two (2) hospitals have been destroyed.  PAHO has indicated that immediate health priorities include:  search and rescue of survivors trapped underneath rubble; treatment of people with major trauma injuries; preventing the infection of wounds; provision of clean water; sanitation; and ensuring breast-feeding is continued.

Accessibility:
The airport is open to day time flights only.  Both sea ports have been damaged. There have been reports of extensive damage to roads


Regional Response Actions 
  1. Departing from Barbados today is a regional high powered delegation including the CARICOM Secretary General Edwin Carrington; Chairman of CARICOM, Honourable Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of Dominica; Prime Minister of Barbados, the Honourable David Thompson; Mr. Jeremy Collymore, Executive Director, CDEMA; Mr. Grantley Watson, the Regional Security Coordinator, RSS, and the Vice President Operations Caribbean Development Bank, Mr. P. Desmond Brunton departed Barbados this evening to meet with Hon. Bruce Golding in Jamaica on Thursday January 14.  The delegation will travel to Haiti tomorrow Friday January 15, 2010 to gather data to further inform the nature and scope of the region’s assistance.
  2. The Regional Security System and Search and Rescue teams remain on standby.
  3. A technical team comprising representatives from the CARICOM Secretariat, CDEMA, UWI, IMPACS (the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security) and the Regional Security System (RSS) will be deployed to Haiti on Friday January 15, 2010 to support the political team and carry out the initial assessment. The team will seek :
    • To express solidarity with the Government and people of Haiti at this time of need.
    • To assure the Government and people of Haiti of the region’s commitment to support the Haiti response efforts in a tangible and effective manner.
    • To establish an initial picture of the Government of Haiti’s priority response and recovery needs.
    • To conduct an initial assessment of the earthquake impact and identify priority needs.
    • To initially define how the CARICOM region’s response can be best articulated for a tangible and effective response from the region.
    • To identify logistical arrangements such as transportation, accommodation and other arrangements for receiving incoming humanitarian supplies and personnel, being deployed from the region.
    • To determine the way forward for CARICOM support especially in the area of law enforcement and maintenance of public order.
  4. CDEMA is working with international and regional carriers to coordinate the securing of pledges and aid distribution to Haiti.
  5. CDEMA has also defined operational scenarios to inform the scope and framework of the CARICOM interventions.
  6. CDEMA continues to receive pledges from donors and partners.
  7. Suriname has pledges to provide military and police personnel for Haiti.  They are currently filling a four (4) feet container with drinking water, blankets and rice to provide assistance in the initial stages.
  8. The CDEMA Coordinating Unit also met with the British High Commission in Barbados to discuss the situation in Haiti and to examine issues surrounding the response efforts.  The Department for International Development deployed a five (5) member technical team which is expected to arrive in Haiti today.  The team includes four (4) technical experts from the United Kingdom and Mr. Roger Bellers previously deployed on Tuesday.  DFID and CDEMA have agreed to liaise on the ground in Haiti for a coordinated response.
  9. Today the CDEMA Coordinating Unit discussed the response efforts for Haiti with the Australian High Commission.  The Government of Australia has pledged AUS$10 million for the Haitian Response AUS$1 million of which will be chandelled through CDEMA.  CDEMA has already initiated arrangements to access these funds.
  10. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) will deploy Mr. Phillip Cross, the Caribbean Representative of the ITU who will deliver satellite phones to various organizations to assist in addressing some of the communication challenges being experienced.Action by Partners and CDEMA Non Participating States:

The International Federation of Red Cross has launched an appeal for US $10 million in cash, kind, or services to support the Haitian National Red Cross Society to assist 20, 000 families (100,000 beneficiaries) for nine months.

CONTACT DETAILS: The CDEMA CU 24-hour contact number is 1(246) 425 0386




--
Gert van Dijken
Caribbean Hurricane Network
http://stormcarib.com

- CDERA Situation Report - Update #2
  • By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
  • Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2010 10:44:43 -0500 (EST)

MESSAGE:  7.0 HAITI EARTHQUAKE UPDATE #2

THE EVENT:

A magnitude 7.0 earthquake located 18.451°N, 72.445°W struck the island of
Haiti on Tuesday January 12th, 2010 at about 5:53 PM Atlantic Standard Time
(AST). According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the
earthquake struck 15 km (10 miles) South West of Port-au-Prince at a depth
of 10 km (6.2 miles). Aftershocks are still being felt.
 

Initial unconfirmed reports indicate that there has been extensive damage to
Port-au-Prince and there may be in excess of 100,000 causalities and hence
an urgent need for search and rescue support. It is estimated that
approximately three (3) million people have been affected.
 

CDEMA has initiated a level three (3) response based on preliminary reports
on the extent of devastation in Haiti. This level of activation is initiated
in cases where disasters overwhelm the capacity of the affected state(s) to
respond. It is the highest level of activation by CDEMA and triggers the
Regional Response Mechanism.

PROGNOSIS:

Affected areas remain under threat from continuing aftershocks and the
possibility of landslides.  Additionally, there is the threat from the
collapse of damaged structures.

THE SITUATION:

Current preliminary information indicates that there has been wide spread
damage in Port Au Prince. Hospitals, government agencies and international
organizations buildings are among the buildings that have been damaged or
destroyed.

Utilities:

Utilities including water, electricity and telephone services have been
disrupted and communication remains a challenge.

Health:

Hospitals and health facilities have been severely affected. The main
hospital in Port-au-Prince has collapsed and two (2) hospitals in Turgeau
have been destroyed.  PAHO has indicated that immediate health priorities
include:  search and rescue of survivors trapped underneath rubble;
treatment of people with major trauma injuries; preventing the infection of
wounds; provision of clean water; sanitation; and ensuring breast-feeding is
continued.

Accessibility:

The airport is open to humanitarian and private flights only.

There have been reports of extensive damage to roads. The zone of Turgeau,
Pakot and Canape Vert are inaccessible.

Response action by Partners and CDEMA Non Participating States:
 1. The World Care Centre of the United States a non-profit organization has
    made pledges in the form of services.
 2. The United Nations has invoked the International Charter on Space and
    Major Disasters and it is anticipated that satellite imagery of the
    affected areas will be available by Friday January 15, 2010. This will
    allow for coordination of specific response to the affected areas.
 3. he United States Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) has placed
    additional Search and Rescue resources on standby for additional
    support. An eleven (11) member administrative team along with
    communications equipment has already been deployed.
 4. The Caribbean Development Bank through its Emergency Grant Programme has
    made available US$200,000 and arrangement for accessing is being
    initiated by CDEMA.
 5. The Government of Australia has also made an offer of immediate response
    assistance to Haiti through the CARICOM Secretariat.  The scope of this
    support is being defined.
 6. International Telecommunications Union has offered an emergency
    communications pack.
 7. PAHO and WHO are also collecting data on the health impact of the
    earthquake to disseminate to other humanitarian aid providers. In
    addition, PAHO is deploying a 12-member team of health and logistics
    experts, including specialists in mass casualty management, coordination
    of emergency health response and the management of dead bodies.
 8. The United Nations has invoked the International Charter on Space and
    Major Disasters and it is anticipated that satellite imagery of the
    affected areas will be available by Friday January 15, 2010. This will
    allow for coordination of specific response to the affected areas.
 9. The Red Cross has deployed the Pan American Disaster Response Unit
    (PADRU) to lead the initial response in Haiti.
10.  An International FAC is in Santo Domingo and is expected to arrive in
    Haiti tomorrow.
11. Puerto Rico is offering services on emergency vector management and
    control.

REGIONAL RESPONSE

The Northwestern Donor Group of the CDEMA Regional Response Mechanism
convened a meeting at 2.00pm today to discuss the earthquake impact and the
response actions for Haiti.  The Meeting was held at the Office of Disaster
Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) Headquarters in Jamaica, the
CDEMA sub-regional focal point for Haiti.

A high level team from Jamaica is scheduled to be deployed to Haiti on
Thursday, January 14, 2009, including the Director General of ODPEM, Ronald
Jackson and other government representatives to provide an initial overview
of the situation on the ground.

Several governments of the CDEMA Participating States, including Anguilla,
Barbados, Belize, Grenada and Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago held meetings
today to determine the coordination of national relief efforts to support
the regional response. Pledges are being offered from public and private
entities, NGOs and the general public.

The Caribbean Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) has been running
models on potential rainfall levels in an attempt to ascertain possible
mudslides/landslides over the affected areas.

The Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility is process of disbursing
approximately US$3 Million dollars to Haiti.

A Regional 12 man team will be deployed on Friday, January 15 to undertake
an assessment and determine the level of the emergency effort, the
humanitarian needs, logistics coordination and operational support that is
required for Haiti. The team will be comprised of CDEMA, CARICOM Regional
Security System (RSS), CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security
(IMPACS), University of the West Indies (UWI) and other technical personnel.

Pledges by Participating States:

Pledges of support have been coming from our CDEMA Participating States;
Partners and other countries in the Region. So far these include:
 1. US$1 Million dollar donation by The Republic of Guyana.
 2. The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is deploying a team comprising of
    Disaster Medical and search and rescue personnel.
 3. The Government of Saint Lucia, Belize, Trinidad and Tobago and
    University of the West Indies Jamaica have all pledged aid in the form
    of services for the affected state.
 4. The Government of Bermuda has offered a twelve seater aircraft.
 5. Grenada is reaching out to the Grenada Diaspora for donations of water
    and transportation of such to Haiti.
 6. The Grenada Broadcasting Television has also schedule a telethon for
    Monday 18th January 2010.
 7. The government of the Virgin Islands is offering to deploy a Search and
    Rescue team.
 8. The Government of Barbados has established a mechanism for the
    coordination of national relief efforts and has identified military
    personnel to support the Community’s response.
 9. A Jamaica Defence Force vessel with technical, medical and military
    personnel and relief supplies is being deployed to Haiti.
Please click here to view a preliminary list of humanitarian aid responses
identified.

CONTACT DETAILS: The CDEMA CU 24-hour contact number is 1(246) 425 0386

Attachment: Addendum%20to%20SitRep2.doc
Description: MS-Word document


- Fwd: Haiti Earthquake Update #1 - CDEMA commences regional response
  • By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
  • Date: Wed, 13 Jan 2010 13:34:51 -0800


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Situation Reports - Public <webmaster at cdera.org>
Date: Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 1:28 PM
Subject: Haiti Earthquake Update #1 - CDEMA commences regional response



MESSAGE:  7.0 HAITI EARTHQUAKE UPDATE #1 (As at 1:00pm, January 13, 2010)

THE EVENT:


A magnitude 7.0 earthquake located 18.451°N, 72.445°W struck the island of Haiti on Tuesday January 12th, 2010 at about 5:53 PM Atlantic Standard Time (AST). According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake struck 15 km (10 miles) South West of Port-au-Prince at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles).

PROGNOSIS: 

Several aftershocks were experienced since the main event and the possibility of additional aftershocks exists.

THE SITUATION:

Haiti:

Preliminary information indicates that there has been major damage to buildings and infrastructure in Haiti including hospitals, government agencies and international organizations. Utilities including water, electricity and telephone services have been disrupted and communication remains a challenge.


Jamaica:

The quake was reportedly felt along the Eastern corridor, particularly the North East and South East coasts. Assessments are being conducted to determine if there has been any structural damage to buildings and infrastructure.


REGIONAL REPONSE:
  1. CARICOM’s frontline response has commenced with assistance out of Jamaica, the sub regional focal point.
  2. A Jamaica Defence Force vessel with technical, medical and military personnel and relief supplies is being deployed to Haiti today.
  3. A high level team from Jamaica is scheduled to be deployed to Haiti on Thursday, including the Director General of ODPEM, Ronald Jackson and other government representatives to provide an initial overview of the situation on the ground.
  4. A team comprising representatives of CDEMA, other regional partners, and donors is in preparation for deployment to Haiti by Friday, January 15, 2010 to assess the situation and inform the nature and scope of the region’s assistance.
Regionally, several Participating States have offered support in the form of military assistance, search and rescue teams, medical personnel, artisans and aircrafts. CDEMA is therefore in the process of collating and processing pledged assistance.

The Sub Regional Focal Point for Haiti is Jamaica who is being engaged to coordinate the response efforts on behalf of the affected member of the sub-region.

CONTACT DETAILS: The CDEMA CU 24-hour contact number is 1(246) 425 0386





--
Gert van Dijken
Caribbean Hurricane Network
http://stormcarib.com

- How to help
  • By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
  • Date: Wed, 13 Jan 2010 10:01:22 -0800
MSNBC.com has put together a nice list of charitable organizations active in the nation:
      http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34835478/ns/world_news-haiti_earthquake/

If you want to give now now, grab your phone and text "HAITI" to "90999" and a donation of $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross to help with relief efforts, and charged to your cell phone bill.  Not sure if it works in the Caribbean though.  You can also text "Yele" to "501501" to donate $5 to Wyclef Jean's grassroots organization ( http://www.yele.org ).

Gert

--
Gert van Dijken
Caribbean Hurricane Network
http://stormcarib.com

- Haiti Response, online database support (fwd)
  • By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
  • Date: Wed, 13 Jan 2010 11:31:44 -0500 (EST)

Below a link to relief efforts and other info.  -Gert

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:57:21 -0500
From: Terra Friedrichs <terraf at compuserve.com>

[...]
 
We are "virtual volunteers".  We create online lists of "needs" and
"available services" for disasters.
 
See what we've done for the Haiti disaster (so far) here:
 
http://www.citizencommandcenter.org/conditions/list?preset=104
 
Right now, we are looking for:
 
- local news organizations with online reports
- shelters and places where people can get food/medical care
- the "safe registry" where people can register that they are safe (the Red
Cross does this in the US)
Please help us connect with the folks on the ground, so we can list the
places they are operating out of...
 
It will help direct incoming supply/volunteer resources...
 
Terra
*~*~*~*
Terra Friedrichs
978 266 2775 (office)
978 266 2778 (home)
978 808 7173 (cell)


- Ham Radio operators from the Salvation Army are standing by on frequency for Haiti relief
  • By "Marti Brown" <captmarti at netzero.com>
  • Date: Wed, 13 Jan 2010 07:25:14 -0500

Hi Gert,

Don’t know if this will help anyone or not in your group but the Salvation Army has activated its SATERN net (Salvation Army Team Emergency Network) and is monitoring the following frequencies:

 

7.265.0 MHz LSB and 3.977.7 MHz LSB evening and night.

 

When the 20 meter band opens back up later today we will be listening and ready to assist on 14.267 MHz USB The actual frequency will vary up or down depending upon noise and so forth on the band.

 

For the first 72 hours or so, they will be taking disaster relief traffic from the area. In the interim, they have a health and welfare request section on their web site where folks can go to request information on family members in the affected area. Here is the web site:

 

http://www.satern.org/

 

 

Best,

 

Marti Brown, RN, MSN   KF4TRG

 

 

 

Cruising Companion Publications

http://www.idiyachts.com

Creating books that make sense of marine electronics

 

 


- earthquake
  • By "Caleb & Debbie Lucien" <Lucienscd at starband.net>
  • Date: Wed, 13 Jan 2010 08:20:19 -0500

Hi All;

We are located 90 miles north of Port au Prince.  Definitely felt the initial quake, houses were swaying.  In our area here in the north however there was no significant damage.

Reports are of massive casualties in the capital, it is essentially destroyed.

Please pray and help in any way you can.

Debbie Lucien

Pignon, Haiti


- Fwd: Clean Water For Haiti
  • By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
  • Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:05:34 -0800


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: barbara jonusaitis <bjonusaitis at yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, Jan 12, 2010 at 8:55 PM
To: Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>


Hi Gert,

I contacted Chris Rolling our director in Haiti. He was in Port during the quake and before he got out of town he helped at a collapsed school. He is unable to write tonight. I hope he will be able to copy you tomorrow, on anything he writes, or soon to give some info. He is taking our two trucks, our tools and all of our workers, 20 or more,  into Port tomorrow to assist the people.   We are located in Pierre Payen just north of Montrois. You may recall Chris was one of the first into Gonaives during the flood that killed so may. He would do no less for Port in this time of what must be terror for the people.

Blessings
Barb Jonusaitis
Clean Water Fore Haiti cleanwaterforhaiti.org





--
Gert van Dijken
Caribbean Hurricane Network
http://stormcarib.com

- Earthquake
  • By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
  • Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:02:10 -0800


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Fr. Gregory Williams <frgregory at sjkp.org>
Date: Tue, Jan 12, 2010 at 8:24 PM
To: Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>


Long time no hear!  I have no useful information at this point, beyond what's in public news media.  I've tried every phone contact I have in Haiti, with the same results:  10-12 rings probably not real, then disconnect.  It's probable that we've suffered severe damage to churches  schools, but I won't know until I can reach someone -- or get there myself.  I'm scheduled to fly down 1/26, but of course it's an open question whether that will be possible or reasonable.

An online credit card donation route can be found at http://haitianorthodoxmission.org/donations.html

Almost certainly, we'll be in desperate need of help.  One report has a mountainside "cracking open" above Jacmel, near the location of our largest school.  The school and church at LaPlaine (northern "suburb" of Port-au-Prince) are, I fear, located in a region of somewhat unstable ground.   There is certainly likelihood of severe damage there as well.

I can only pray that no lives were lost amongst our people -- and grieve for my suffering fellow countrymen (I've long said that I'm at least as much "Haitian" as "American").

God help this poor country, which seems always to suffer the worst.  One blow after another!

Thanks for caring!





--
Gert van Dijken
Caribbean Hurricane Network
http://stormcarib.com

- Fwd: [HURR] - Earthquake
  • By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
  • Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2010 19:26:09 -0800


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Gerry Delphin <gerry_delphin at yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, Jan 12, 2010 at 7:21 PM
To: Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>


Hi!
I am in Jacmel Haiti outside of the city. At 5: 03PM I felt the building dancing! And an loud sound! I took my collegue and we rush out! I cry to everybody to go out and stay in the court where is no electric cable or falling object!
It was scaring to see all the tree and the walls trembling!
It last some 20 to 30 seconds and look so long!
We felt some afterschok some minutes after! Scary! Everybody was outside!
In the city, many houses felt down. People died! Tomorrow we will know more about!
On the net, thanks God it was working again! we saw it was an 7.3 earthquake! Wow!
Since 1843, there was onr who destruct Port-au Prince and Cap Haitien! A 200 years return cycle have been a reality! It was annonced so many times!
 

--
Gert van Dijken
Caribbean Hurricane Network
http://stormcarib.com

- Rainy December 23rd over Haiti
  • By Jean Came Poulard <jcpoulard at gmail.com>
  • Date: Wed, 23 Dec 2009 12:45:17 -0500
Port - au - Prince, Haiti is rainy and windy all this starting day of December 23rd.  The rain start at midnight and continue at the time (12h45 PM) I write this text. We still have light rain but satellite indicates that the rain will continue all the day and may be for some hours tomorrow morning.

[view of satellite image]

This rain can affect the Christmas Celebration over the country. Report from the north and the south of the country is the same as what I write above.

I still continue to monitor the situation.

Happy Christmas every one.
 


Jean Came Poulard
Ingénieur informatique / Software designer
Logipam Developer manager  
509 36 01 29 59
http://www.logipam.org
jcpoulard at logipam.org


- Remnants of cold front cause flooding
  • By Jean Came Poulard <jcpoulard at gmail.com>
  • Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:55:03 -0500
Remnants of cold front cause flooding

Heavy rain fall into Port-au-Prince during 2 consecutive night on Monday and Tuesday cause damage to house and road in the capital west suburb. This rains as a part of the remnants of the cold front nearly stationary over eastern Cuba.

Unfortunately 6 dead have been recorded from direct effect of the flooding from this rain. On Tuesday, the rain fall for 3 hours over Port-au-Prince, is unusual to have this amount of rain without a tropical system over the country. Flooding also reported at Saint Marc Region (90 Km North of Port-au-Prince). People at the suburb of Carrefour will continue to face with more rain as the disturbance weather located near Nicaragua will move slowly NNE and some rain can affect portion of haiti in the next day.

Continue to monitor this situation.

Delmas, Ouest, Haiti

Jean Came Poulard
Ingénieur informatique / Software designer
Logipam Developer manager  
509 36 01 29 59
http://www.logipam.org
jcpoulard at logipam.org


- Caries disaster
  • From: Martin Bush <mb.haiti at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2009 18:30:45 -0500
News leaks out slowly in Haiti.  I was worried last weekend when the remnants of Erika meandered overhead but when the rain in Petionville was relatively light I thought we had overstated the risk when we warned the communities on the Arcadins coast about the possibility of heavy rains.  Then on Monday I heard rumours of several people killed in Carries.  Only on Friday did I find out what really happened.  A mudslide swept down the hillside  into a poor community of about 50 family dwellings none of them solid enough to withstand the tons of fluid black mud that descended on them.  Seven people died including three children.   When I walked up the pah of the now-dry mudslide on Friday one of the bodies had not yet been taken away--five days after the tragedy.   Next week we will go all the way up to the point where the mudslide started to se if we can figure out how to prevent this happening again.
 
Then this evening Saturday, a fierce storm with heavy rain and lightening has erupted over Petionville heading west towards the same area of the Arcadins coast.  All the rural communities are vulnerable.  
 
MB

Attachment: P1010268.JPG
Description: JPEG image


- Re: Raining steadily
  • From: Martin Bush <mb.haiti at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sun, 6 Sep 2009 20:13:29 -0500


Sunday 8 pm local time .   Steady rains for about 3 hours now in the Port au Prince area.   No reports of flooding so far but if this keeps up I will be worried.  I am already worried.  There is very little wind and almost no variation in the sound of the rain.  All signs that this downpour is here to stay for several hours.   Tomorrow I am driving out to the Arcadins coast.  I hope I find that there is  little or no damage in the coastal watersheds .   The rural communities were warned that this weekend could bring heavy rains.   But there is  little they can do except hope and pray.
 
MB.


- Local rain- Erica coming?
  • From: W W <pilotmaf at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Sat, 5 Sep 2009 09:50:18 -0700 (PDT)
Last night was quite a bit of lightening and thunder.  Just 32 hundredths of an 
inch of rain on our street in PAP.  No rain on the island of Lagonave in the 
bay last night.  Landed there this morning to the normal fine dirt and dust.  
Waiting to see what remnants of Erica bring.

W.W.


      


- Erika ?
  • From: Martin Bush <mb.haiti at gmail.com>
  • Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2009 19:26:48 -0500
7 pm and constant flickering lightening to the east in a heavy black and indigo sky.   Erika is not supposed to be here yet.  Now the rain starts and with it wind.
 
We have warned the rural communities in the hills above the Arcadins coast.   If it's not a cyclone people don't pay much attention.  Not sure if there was even a mention on the local radio.  But the rains will do terrible damage if Erika dumps a whole load on Haiti.  The island population is always vulnerable.  The 'protection civile' is little more than a disjointed plan to pick up the pieces.
 
This is very worrying.  The rain is gathering strength...
 
M.

- Erika possible Haiti Threat ?
  • From: Jean Came Poulard <jcpoulard at gmail.com>
  • Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 11:59:31 -0500
Erika possible Haiti Threat?

Since the first advisory posting by the NHC on September 1st, I start to make the a look at Erika and see how difficult it's to predict the path of tropical system. The waltz of Erika continue in the northwestern Caribbean sea and model seem to stay unpredictable when they try to predict Erika path and Intensity. Here in Haiti the weather is very clement, blue sky and hot temperature, every one is enjoy and don't really care about the approaching TS Erika.

The big concern people in Haiti can have relating to Erika is heavy rainfall, all depend on where and how far Erika will be from the Haitian territory. For now 3 tracks are possible for Erika:
1st)  Erika continue on the official NHC track and pass well north/northeast of Haiti.  In this case some light rain could affect the extreme northeast of the country. This will be the best case scenario.
2nd) Erika continue her unpredictable course and make landfall in the south of Dominican Republic. On this case the north part of haiti will get some heavy rain but no massive flooding is expect, according to the environment degradation some landslide is to fear.
3rd) Erika change direction  and go strait west and pass parallel to the south cost of Haiti. In this case, in association with the hight mountainous terrain on the south, heavy rain can expect and rivers can flood some cities on the country. Even if on this case I don't think a major disaster can happens because of the weakness of Erika.

I really think people in Haiti need to continue to watch the progression of Erika but it's no reason to panic and get crazy. Erika is still a rain maker nothing else.

Jean Came Poulard
Delmas, Ouest, Haiti


Jean Came Poulard
Ingénieur informatique / Software designer
509 36 01 29 59

- Ana away
  • From: Martin Bush <mb.haiti at gmail.com>
  • Date: Tue, 18 Aug 2009 09:17:41 -0500
Thankfully Ana faded away with only some distant rolling thunder early this morning to signal her disorganised passage.  Very little rain and no wind to speak of on the western coastal areas -- among the most vulnerable to heavy rains...
 
So far so good.   And Bill will hopefully keep his distance.
 
MJB

- Rain rain go away....
  • From: Martin Bush <mb.haiti at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sun, 16 Aug 2009 20:11:48 -0500
A last sunny day on the Arcadins coast with a gaggle of small children in tow-- but I'm looking over my shoulder.   Ana, although enfeebled, can still bring 2 - 4 inches of rain.  That much rain on the coastal areas of Gonaive and St Marc will bring huge problems.   Gonaive is still struggling to fix the plumbing:  new drainage canals are unfinished, existing ones are cleaned out -- but the piled up dirt is frequently just left alongside on the road.  A storm will wash most of it right back into the canal it came from.   St Marc is in even more of a mess.  Less vulnerable that Gonaive to catastrophic flooding, it is already semi-paralysed by the some of the worst roads in Haiti.  The main road into the town from the south is so bad that the Mack trucks cannot power themselves out of the water-fllled potholes that extend the whole widtth of the road.  This is the main street of the town.  This is in fact Route Nationale 1 : the road that runs from Port au Prince to St Marc, Gonaive,and ends in Cap Haitien. 
 
As I write this message this evening a powetrful thunderstorm is right overhead.   It has been raining steadily in Petionville for the last two hours.  The house is running on battery power of course.   Twelve 6-volt batteries keep the lights on and the internet connected.  
 
Bill will hopefully swerve to the north and spare Haiti.  Ana looks more likely to come closer.
 
MJB

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