Red Cross Action: Haiti

Red Cross Action: Haiti

The International Red Cross is moving quickly to deliver much needed humanitarian assistance to the devastated country of Haiti. The capital Port-au-Prince and Haiti's West Province suffered severe devastation after an earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale struck on Wednesday morning (NZ time).

Little is known about the humanitarian situation in earthquake-affected areas outside the capital. For now efforts to assess the extent of this huge disaster are continuing. While no accurate figures are yet available, the number of dead and injured is expected to be in the thousands and as many as three million people appear to have been affected.

The most urgent needs are search and rescue, emergency health care, providing clean water, emergency shelter, restoring family links, logistics and telecommunications.

Red Cross volunteers in Haiti are continuing to assist the injured and homeless. The Haitian Red Cross prepositioned stocks of emergency items are being used to assist earthquake survivors. Additional stocks of kitchen kits, personal hygiene articles, blankets and tarpaulins are being moved into Haiti from the Red Cross warehouse in Panama.

As well as a Field Assessment Coordination Team (FACT) consisting of specialists in emergency health, water and sanitation, reporting, shelter and telecommunications, International Red Cross Emergency Response Units (ERUs) from all around the world are due to arrive in Haiti later today (NZ time). The ERUs consist of specialist staff and equipment to provide emergency disaster support in the areas of shelter, telecommunications, basic health care, a field hospital and logistics support.

Yesterday, Red Cross staff based in Port-au-Prince were able to visit several public hospitals that are still functioning and started to provide them and Haitian Red Cross headquarters with emergency medical supplies stockpiled before the disaster struck. The supplies included medicines and other medical items needed to treat about 200 hospitalised surgical patients and basic drugs for 1,000 patients with general health problems. Further medical supplies to treat the wounded and to cover basic health needs of 10,000 people over a period of three months are planned to arrive in Haiti as soon as possible.

Red Cross aims to support all efforts to ensure that the bodies of the dead can be recovered and identified for the benefit of their families. International Red Cross forensic experts will work with different organisations on the ground handling this sensitive task.

A special website has been set up to help thousands of people within Haiti and abroad who have lost contact with their loved ones. The address is www.icrc.org/familylinks

New Zealand Red Cross has launched an emergency appeal to support those affected by the earthquake. The Haitian Earthquake Appeal will raise money in response to a request from the International Red Cross for funding support. New Zealand Red Cross has released $50,000 from its disaster response emergency fund to support the appeal.

People can donate to the appeal by:
• Making a secure online donation at www.redcross.org.nz
• Call 0900 733 26 to make an automatic $20 donation
• Donate online at www.givealittle.co.nz/haiti (who are working in partnership with Red Cross for this appeal)
• Sending cheques (made payable to New Zealand Red Cross), to the Haitian Earthquake Appeal, Red Cross House, P O Box 12140, Thorndon, Wellington, 6144
• Making a donation at any New Zealand Red Cross office throughout the country
• Visit your local ANZ or TSB branch

New Zealand Red Cross guarantees that 100 percent of all donations we receive will go directly to the appeal. In the event that more money than can reasonably and efficiently spent is raised during the appeal, any surplus funds will be used by New Zealand Red Cross to prepare and respond to other humanitarian disasters or emergencies either internationally or here in New Zealand.

New Zealand Red Cross is only able to accept financial donations. Offers of voluntary assistance and goods are not immediately helpful in this disaster response situation. While well meaning, additional people and unsolicited goods can create more burden for an already strained infrastructure in the affected country.

ENDS

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