The American Red Cross Mobilizes For Haitian Relief

Within hours of the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that devastated Haiti last week

, the American Red Cross had begun mounting a massive relief effort, loading Miami-based planes with food and water, distributing thousands of blankets, plastic sheets and other supplies, pledging one million dollars of its own money and partnering with Verizon Wireless on a text campaign that would allow other concerned citizens to contribute more. (As of January 18, this partnership and donations via their website and direct telephone line have generated eighty-seven million dollars.) As many as one hundred thousand people may have died in the earthquake that ravaged the island nation. Many hundreds of thousands more have been left without food, water, shelter, utilities and access to medical care. Its been estimated that as many as three million Haitians are in need of some form of relief. In the absence of the infrastructure necessary to provide food, clean water and medical care to Haitis survivors, public health officials fear outbreaks of diarrhea, dengue fever, malaria and measles that may be as devastating as the earthquake itself. Our focus right now is more along the lines of comfort needs as far as tarps, blankets, hygiene items, buckets and shelter supplies, said American Red Cross spokesperson Carrie Housman. Nevertheless the American Red Cross is in the process of setting up a 150-bed field hospital in downtown Port-au-Prince where it expects to treat 250,000 people. At the request of the US Navy, they have also provided blood and blood products to be used in the treatment of Haitians evacuated to medical facilities in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba as well a shipment of blood products to the United Nations Mission in Haiti itself. Benefiting from its long years of planning for and managing regional disasters, the American Red Cross had access to emergency supplies in its Panamanian warehouses and almost immediately had shelter, food, and cooking utensils enough for five thousand families ready for air transport to Port-au-Prince. Six disaster management specialists accompanied the first relief supplies to Haiti, where they had fifteen professionals on the ground, previously assigned to an HIV/AIDS project. With a long history of international disaster relief efforts, few other non-governmental agencies have the experience of the American Red Cross in tackling the human needs and logistical nightmares that arise in the immediate wake of a major disaster. Further, following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, American Red Cross supporters have learned the importance of rapid fundraising to address short-term as well as long term relief requirements. The American Red Cross and International Red Cross will remain on the ground in Haiti for months, if not years to come. Devastating destruction may only be moments in the making, but efforts to rebuild can take a generation. For more information on Haitian Relief, visithttp://haitiandisasterfund.com

The American Red Cross Mobilizes For Haitian Relief

By: John Parks

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