NEWS RELEASE

6 October 2008

Second Rotation Of New Zealand Red Cross Telecommunications Specialists To Haiti

This afternoon two more New Zealand Red Cross humanitarian aid workers, both IT and Telecommunications specialists, will depart for Haiti where they will join the Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ (the Federation) cyclone relief effort.

Mr Niall Shepherd (from Dunedin) and Mr Stephen Davis (from Christchurch) will travel to Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, where they will be based for the next month. They will be assisting the Federation’s disaster response project, working to establish and maintain lines of communication across the country to enable emergency response and relief workers to coordinate their efforts.

The two men will replace Mr Peter Moore and Mr Pat Maunsell who deployed to Haiti in mid September to assist with the aftermath of destruction created immediately after Hurricanes Gustav and Hanna hit the country in late August.

The Federation aims to support the Haitian National Red Cross Society to assist 10,000 families (50,000 beneficiaries) for nine months. The operation is still in its initial phase, with the immediate focus on relief – meeting survival and emergency water and sanitation needs, shelter and non-food items, basic health services, and the prevention and control of disease outbreaks.

New Zealand Red Cross has contributed $20,000 to the Federation’s relief appeal, and continues to collect public donations. All monies received for the appeal will go directly to those who need it most.

A further rotation of New Zealand Red Cross aid workers into Haiti will be assessed later this month.

ENDS

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