I have posted the main story about what happened, and below this story is a list of all the ways you can help. From texting donations to just mailing money to organizations. This will be a massive effort, and we will see what the true assessment is as soon as the Incident Command Teams send out a report.
One thing that I am not hearing about, which will be a huge concern as time ticks away, is security. I have yet to see any advertisements for disaster relief related security operations, but we will keep our eye out. Haiti is an extremely poor nation (poorest in the western hemisphere), and security issues were a big problem before this earth quake. My guess is that massive looting and lawlessness will occur after the initial shock, along with attacks against aid workers and innocents in the weeks and months ahead. Providing security for these recovery operations will be very important if we really want to help Haiti.
The current privatised security operations, in my opinion, will be mostly rescuing clients–hotel guests, businessmen, travelers, or securing banks and other institutions vital to Haiti and foreign investors. Also, expect some of the aid groups to have some security folks. It looks like the various governments throughout the world are looking at this in the same way, with sending teams to rescue citizens, along with trying to help the Haitians with rescue and disaster relief.
I would also like to remind the readership that the private military company response to hurricanes like Katrina was excellent, and because Haiti is relatively close to the U.S., PMC’s could be contracted to do all sorts of things to help in that response. Blackwater was able to provide a helicopter, and hundreds of security contractors, all equipped and ready to work in that disaster zone, and they did an excellent job. BW saved lives and was able to keep the peace at the various disaster relief centers with guards. Other companies were able to respond quickly to the Katrina disaster, and were easily able to offer those services until no longer needed. I would also suggest security for the key communications infrastructure which will insure communications for people and aid will not be hindered. Security must be a priority, if in fact folks want the rest of the disaster relief operation to be successful. –Matt
Edit: I just found out that the main prison has collapsed, and prisoners have escaped. Also, the IPOA has just created a page for companies that are offering their services for the Haiti relief operations. Check it out here.
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Quake Slams Haiti; Thousands Feared Dead
A Magnitude 7.0 Earthquake and a Series of Aftershocks Hit Just 10 Miles From Capital
By NED POTTER, DEAN SCHABNER, STEPHEN SPLANE, AMMU KANNAMPILLY and BRIAN BRAIKER
Jan. 13, 2010 —
A major earthquake struck just off the coast of Haiti late Tuesday afternoon, reportedly causing extensive damage in the capital of Port-au-Prince, and one aid worker said, “There must be thousands of people dead.”
The quake had a magnitude of 7.0 according to the U.S. Geological Survey, and was centered just 10 miles from Port-au-Prince.
The center was also relatively shallow, less than 10 miles below ground, raising the risk of damage.
Karel Zelenka, a Catholic Relief Services representative in Port-au-Prince, told U.S. colleagues before phone service failed that “there must be thousands of people dead,” a spokeswoman for the aid group told The Associated Press.
“He reported that it was just total disaster and chaos, that there were clouds of dust surrounding Port-au-Prince,” Sara Fajardo said from the group’s offices in Maryland.
(more…)
