Today was spent repackaging medicines and medical supplies on the loading dock of a hospital, getting ready to send a medical team from International Relief Teams off to Haiti. Some of us who belong to our local DMAT teams also volunteer with other organizations, so it really is a sense of camaraderie helping each other to deploy, whether it a government, or non-government response. I can't say enough about the people of all different walks of life and disciplines who I encounter doing this kind of work.
Reports from different sources indicate that fuel supplies on Haiti are extremely low and that will affect the ability for responders to continue operations. No fuel = no generators, motor transportation, etc. Incredible collaborative efforts are being made through both civilian and military channels, government and non-government alike. Increasing violence is being reported as victims wait for aid, most not having any idea of the supplies that are there but unable to distributed because of the lack of roads, the lack of fuel and the lack of communications. This puts first responders in an extremely vulnerable position, another reason for not spontaneously volunteering without support and security with legitimate agencies.
Communications are always the most difficult component in a disaster response, especially with the infrastructure being destroyed. Again many partners are trying to develop collaborative networks to solve this problem in Haiti. Not an easy task when you have differing technologies, differing systems and capabilities, not to mention the multitude of languages.
A lot of people are working endlessly around the clock to stem the massive suffering and try to give them a chance at rebuilding their lives, which in Haiti, historically, has been a challenge at best.
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