Thursday, February 04, 2010
 
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Salvation Army relief workers head to Haiti

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[February 04, 2010]  Experienced emergency workers are arriving in Haiti to help The Salvation Army's local response to the earthquake that has devastated Port-au-Prince and the surrounding area.

HardwareLt. Col. Lindsay Rowe, chief secretary for The Salvation Army's Caribbean Territory, says:

"Like all other relief agencies, The Salvation Army is experiencing a great deal of difficulty and frustration in its efforts to get emergency response personnel and vital supplies of food, water and medical aid on the ground in Haiti. With the main seaport severely damaged and the airport stretched beyond its capacity, making vital supplies available to waiting teams and desperate people is a logistical nightmare.

"Even when the supplies reach the airport, many streets and roadways are impassable, leaving victims stranded without access to aid. The level of tension is rising as people approach their third day without access to vital aid supplies and medical treatment."

On Thursday, a plane carrying experienced emergency response personnel from the U.S. was diverted from Port-au-Prince when it was decided to close the airport to all but military aircraft. The plane finally landed at Cape Haitian, a drive of some six to eight hours from Port-au-Prince, and the team obtained vehicles to begin the arduous trip.

Team member Maj. Tom Louden said the road had large holes that they had to go around on the edge of cliffs with no guard rails. Because of the road conditions, the team could travel at only 20 miles per hour.

Louden reports that even away from the worst-hit areas, people were walking around aimlessly. At times there were so many people in the street, they had to wait for the street to clear to be able to pass through the crowds.

Another team is preparing to go to Haiti from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., with a plane full of essential supplies. Also heading there are members of International Emergency Services from International Headquarters, London.

Staff members from Caribbean Territorial Headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica, have made arrangements for supplies and several volunteer doctors to travel to Haiti on two planes, and Rowe says more containers are loaded and ready to be shipped when the ports are open to receive them.

[Text from file received from Salvation Army]

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