Haiti Earthquake: Relief Update #5

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

The American Red Cross is performing first aid, delivering water, addressing urgent needs and mobilizing a massive response operation in Haiti. More than 100 Red Cross staff from two dozen nations are supporting several thousand local volunteers, and more Red Cross teams from around the world are en route.Red Cross workers from around the world will be providing a wide range of help and support, including food, water, field hospitals, emotional support, telecommunications, sanitation facilities and helping restore links between families.

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

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

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

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

• Over the weekend, three planes carrying Red Cross humanitarian assistance were expected in the region, delivering a field hospital and needed materials such as tarps, blankets, hygiene items, buckets, shelter supplies and kitchen sets. Another 20,000 relief items should arrive Monday on a cargo plane provided in partnership with FedEx.

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

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

The damage is extensive, and we know that this is going to be a massive and costly long-term recovery operation.

As of January 16, the American Red Cross has raised more than $87 million for relief efforts. We know that we are going to spend much more than that to help the people of Haiti.Terrible times like these bring out the best in people, and we are grateful for the support being given to the American Red Cross.

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