Haiti Earthquake - is there a thread?

[N.Bailey]

Perhaps I misunderstand, buy surely you cannot compare the earthquake in Haiti and the Katrina flooding in the context of planning time. They were watching that storm for days before it hit,

I wasn't comparing the catastrophes that happened, I was comparing the response of each one. When people are starving, in need of medical care, heartbroken, etc... getting aid ASAP has to be immediate to keep the situation from turning violent. That's what happened after Katrina, and that's what's starting to happen in Haiti. People are afraid for their very lives and will react to that.

 

[clovergirl5]

Yes, that is my mother's team. Of the 12 of them, 10 (including my mom) arrived home on a chartered flight at 3:00 AM this morning. From there, we went to the hospital and spent several hours getting evaluated, cleaned up, scanned and medicated.

My mother was trapped in the rubble of the clinic where they were working for hours. She was very lucky- although very badly bruised, cut, battered and traumatized, she has no injuries requiring hospitalization and is recuperating at my home.

The most seriously injured of the group, Jean, suffered extensive internal injuries during the collapse of the clinic. She was evacuated to Guadaloupe where she was undergoing surgery, which we have just learned she did not survive.

Thank heavens your mom is home safe. My condolences to her friends family.

 

[arminnie]

Yes, that is my mother's team. Of the 12 of them, 10 (including my mom) arrived home on a chartered flight at 3:00 AM this morning.

Wow - that's my church. I've belonged there for decades even though I don't live there now. I have so many memories from there.

I can understand why the missionaries are leaving. After Katrina some of the strictest security was in keeping people OUT of New Orleans. My friends who were medical were able to sneak back in 3 days later.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

It is so sad what has happened. Hearing about all of those families waiting to find out about adopted children. One article talked about how this family has had a specific child picked out since she was 19 months and have been flying back and forth to try to get the paperwork in order. They were just waiting on one more thing before going to pick her up in a few weeks. Is this normal for an international adoption to take so long? I would think it would be in their best interest to get the children out quickly once the family has been approved. Thankfully, their little girl is safe and the orphanage sustained minimal damage. http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/01/15/haiti.orphan.adoptions/index.html?hpt=C1

As for the missionaries leaving, I can completely understand it. Most are lay people from churches who may be providing a specialized service such as education, or like WMKathy's mom's team, eye care. Most likely these are civilians who are not trained in disaster relief. In this case, they would be much more of a hindrance than a help. The impotant thing right now is for trained professionals to be there. When the situation has been controlled, the missionaries can return.

 

[Silent1CB]

I was just watching CNN & tuned in mid-report from Anderson Cooper.

WHY has the UN told international doctors to leave a hospital they were treating amputee patients at for fear of security risk? Just leaving the patients there with just a couple of local doctors? WTH? They are swamped & have people outside in tents who will probably die overnight with no medical staff.

They had doctors and the UN told them to leave because it MIGHT become a security problem? They said the UN has troops on the ground. Send some just in case then. OMG!



I DON'T GET THIS!

BTW, I'm not sure where the hospital was, but it looked pretty intact.

 

[crashbb]

How come Anderson Cooper et. al. get to Haiti so quickly when people with skills that could actually help are still sitting on tarmacs waiting for clearance to fly into Haiti??

 

[VickiVM]

How come Anderson Cooper et. al. get to Haiti so quickly when people with skills that could actually help are still sitting on tarmacs waiting for clearance to fly into Haiti??

I'm guessing, but some small crews can be helicoptered in via other islands whereas large supply aircraft loaded down have to wait their turn. Airport control tower is down and runway is filled. Takes more room to land an airplane.

 

[crashbb]

I'm guessing, but some small crews can be helicoptered in via other islands whereas large supply aircraft loaded down have to wait their turn. Airport control tower is down and runway is filled. Takes more room to land an airplane.

I get that, but, in an ideal world, NBC/CNN/whoever, would give seats to doctors/police officers/whatever instead of reporters. Presumably the media is bringing at least some equipment (cameras and all that stuff), so some medical supplies would fit.

And yes, I know it isn't an ideal world.

 

[VickiVM]

I get that, but, in an ideal world, NBC/CNN/whoever, would give seats to doctors/police officers/whatever instead of reporters. Presumably the media is bringing at least some equipment (cameras and all that stuff), so some medical supplies would fit.

And yes, I know it isn't an ideal world.

I understand what you're saying. But the media can play an important role in community communications in situations like this. They have access and the means to communicate via satellite when Haiti was (and still is, I'm presuming) in the dark because of zero service access.

Remember during Katrina when it would seem that the rest of the country had no idea what was going on, but the cable news outlets were on the streets able to get valuable information out that actually helped guide the service organizations until they could coordinate services.

 

[crashbb]

I understand what you're saying. But the media can play an important role in community communications in situations like this. They have access and the means to communicate via satellite when Haiti was (and still is, I'm presuming) in the dark because of zero service access.

Remember during Katrina when it would seem that the rest of the country had no idea what was going on, but the cable news outlets were on the streets able to get valuable information out that actually helped guide the service organizations until they could coordinate services.

But do we need NBC and FOX and ABC and CNN and CBS and...

I know that it would never happen, but reducing the amount of media and sharing the information, would seem to a good idea. If nothing else, it would be fewer people using the very limited resources that the country has.

Then again, I thought they just use "fire planes" (the ones that dump water on forest fires) to help solve the African droughts when I was a kid. So, clearly, I have bad ideas.

 

[kafitty]

But do we need NBC and FOX and ABC and CNN and CBS and...

I know that it would never happen, but reducing the amount of media and sharing the information, would seem to a good idea. If nothing else, it would be fewer people using the very limited resources that the country has.

Then again, I thought they just use "fire planes" (the ones that dump water on forest fires) to help solve the African droughts when I was a kid. So, clearly, I have bad ideas.

okay i'm at that last bit. i get what you're saying. It is a little excessive. But i doubt that will change, for whatever reason. i'm sure they're bringing supplies for themselves, at the least, and it's really only probably 4-5 people: the reporter, camera person, boom microphone, and maybe a producer or two.

although, last night while i was watching TV, it was noted that, even with all of the media saturation of the event, the reporters felt that the images and their news stories still weren't doing enough to accurately portray the magnitude of the event. i'm sure that most of them, as journalists, they feel a sense of responsibility, and like that it's the only thing they really can do to help. (have i used enough commas in this paragraph? )

the whole thing is just beyond tragic.