Red Cross Aid Flows into Haiti
January 25, 2010
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
More than 400 Red Cross and Red Crescent workers from at least 30 countries have been deployed to Haiti in support of thousands of local volunteers. Of that, more than 100 volunteers are representing the American Red Cross.
This is already the largest single-country personnel deployment in global Red Cross history. The number of emergency response teams in or en route to Haiti equals those that responded to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami – an emergency that spanned 14 countries.
Each Red Cross team has its own roles and expertise, and they are working together. Together, that's a very powerful engine for relief.
- Red Cross responders from eight countries are treating injuries and performing surgery at hospitals and medical centers throughout the capital city.
- Red Cross teams from Latin America and Asia, trained in urban search and rescue, are supporting local authorities.
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USNS Comfort
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- Others are focused on purifying the water supply available in the country and expect to deliver clean drinking water to 200,000 people (27 settlements) each day by truck. So far, more than 1 million liters of water has been distributed.
- Local Haitian Red Cross volunteers are providing emotional support for traumatized survivors and responders as well as first aid support.
The ICRC family links Web site (www.icrc.org/familylinks), designed to help reconnect separated families, has received more than 24,000 registrations since the earthquake. Approximately 500 names have been removed from the site after families were successfully reconnected. The Red Cross has set up posts, helping 900 people make international phone calls to their families to say they are safe. |
