Salvation Army focusing on saving lives in Haiti

[January 21, 2010]  Once the emergency situation becomes stabilized, Salvation Army teams will be able to turn their attention to the long task of recovery and rebuilding. However, this will be some time in occurring as urgent lifesaving needs require the full attention of all available Salvation Army emergency personnel.

The initial international Salvation Army assessment team that arrived in Haiti on Jan. 15 has worked with the Haitian government and the U.S. military to gain clearance for continuing relief flights to the airport in Port-au-Prince. In addition, the team is working with the local military, the Jamaica Defence Force and the United Nations to arrange transportation, security and delivery of supplies. Subsequently, teams from Salvation Army International Headquarters, Canada and the U.K. have assisted in preparing command and distribution centers.

The 14-person Salvation Army medical team from North America, including eight doctors, that arrived in Port-au-Prince with medical supplies on Sunday is the forerunner of a number of other teams that will be arriving from around the world.

[Text from Salvation Army]