Update for American Refugee Committee: Haiti on February 6, 2010

Emergency Response in Haiti

The American Refugee Committee’s emergency response team is on the ground in Haiti, bringing relief to some of the millions who were devastated by last week’s earthquake. We’ve flown in experts from all over the world in health, sanitation, water, protection, security, and logistics. They are working around the clock to reach as many people as possible, as quickly and effectively as possible. We are working in Port-au-Prince, Fond Parisien, to the east, and in Jimani, just across the Dominican Republic border.

What we're doing:

1. Food and Supply Distribution
We have distributed medical supplies, food, hygiene kits, and kitchen kits to thousands of desperate people in several locations. A cargo plane is scheduled to arrive on the 26th with items donated by 20 national companies. Donated items include tents, FEMA-grade tarps and plastic sheeting, roping, medical supplies, surgical supplies, respirator masks, SAT phones, solar lighting, and MREs.

2. Medical Relief
Our medical team is caring for patients at a makeshift field hospital being run out of an orphanage in Fond Parisien, near the Dominican Republic border. They are providing crucial follow-up care for people who have had amputations or other operations. With so many people in need of immediate medical attention, it’s been hard for doctors to keep up with post-operative patients. This continuing care is essential to preventing infection and helping people survive.

3. Shelter
We have distributed emergency shelter materials and tents to hundreds of people. We plan to work with local Haitians to rebuild structures destroyed in the quake. After the Pakistan earthquake, we were able to develop pioneering technology in building reconstruction — building seismic-resistant three-story structures. This technology could be taught to local people. Engineers with extensive post-earthquake experience have arrived from Pakistan.

4. Protection
In emergencies, violence against women can often escalate due to stress and the breakdown of societal norms. We have two protection specialists on the ground, working on an immediate response. They will meet with women’s focus groups to ensure their needs are addressed. Some actions could include: trauma and psychological care, referral networks and coordination, clinical management of rape, and strengthening of community and coping mechanisms.

We also hope to create “child-friendly” spaces in the Delmas district of Port-au-Prince, where children can play safely, out of the way of trucks and other hazards.

5. Forming Partnerships
We are working to form partnerships with local and international NGOs to maximize our ability to respond most effectively. We are collaborating with the Office of the Mayor of Delmas and a local organization called Aimer Egal Servir (To Love is To Serve) to help us target our response to the people who need it most. We have hired local staff to help with logistics and reconstruction.

The American Refugee Committee has been responding to emergencies for over 30 years. The Tsunami, the 2005 Pakistan earthquake, Hurricane Katrina, Darfur, the Balkan wars, Iraq, Cyclone Nargis — these are just a few of the emergencies we’ve responded to. After the initial emergency is over, we stay, helping people rebuild their homes and livelihoods and take back control of their lives.