Haiti Earthquake Response: Help and Hope

This article describes how the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Coast Guard Deployable Operations Group, Joint Task Force-Haiti, U.S. Agency for International Development and numerous other agencies helped to aid the victims of 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti in January 2010. During these ongoing efforts, a U.S. Coast Guard Marine Transportation System Recovery Unit (MTSRU) surveyed the port to determine the status of waterways, piers, and facilities, and developed courses of action with local port authority personnel to best open the port to the flow of humanitarian assistance. Under the Joint Task Force-Haiti leadership, Army and Navy dive teams evaluated the damaged pier structure and re-evaluated after each significant aftershock. The Coast Guard MTSRU held twice-daily meetings with the local port authority and Joint Task Force leaders from several components to advance port opening methods and remove barriers, ultimately allowing humanitarian assistance to move through port facilities and to distribution points throughout Port-au-Prince. Concurrently, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Patrol, and Transportation Security Administration personnel shored up critical security processes at the Port-au-Prince airport for repatriating personnel and helped meet the needs of the critically injured. Restoration of communications infrastructure was a critical need. Most critical was the capability to connect urban search and rescue teams with medical teams, medical flights, and logistics support. Coast Guard cutters, Navy ships, and their respective aircraft provided part of the communications solution. There are so many stories and pictures that depict the field situation and response efforts. The logistics support from across the Coast Guard, the Departments of Homeland Security, Defense, State, Health and Human Services, and the entire U.S. government was equally extraordinary. This article will highlight some of the efforts undertaken by the various agencies.

Language

  • English

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Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01167017
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Aug 30 2010 8:22AM