NEWS & PRESS
News & Press
Red Cross Delivers Aid in Haiti
 
Haiti Earthquake – February 19, 2010
Mobile donors can text "Haiti" to 90999 to send a $10 donation to the Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti.
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We are not accepting volunteers to travel to Haiti. If you would like to volunteer for the American Red Cross, please contact your local chapter.
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For inquiries about relatives living and who have citizenship in Haiti, please be patient and call repeatedly until the lines clear or contact other family members who live nearby. Telephone, Internet and other communication lines are often disrupted in times of disaster.

The ICRC has launched a Family Links Website aimed at enabling persons in Haiti and abroad to register the names of relatives with whom they are striving to restore contact. It will progressively incorporate information offering responses to those queries. Persons seeking news from their loved ones can therefore register the name of the sought persons directly on the site at: http://www.icrc.org/familylinks

People trying to locate U.S. citizens living or traveling in Haiti should contact the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services, at 1-888-407-4747 or 202-647-5225.
 
In just over one month since the earthquake in Haiti, the Red Cross has helped more than 1.3 million people and will continue to aid hundreds of thousands more in the months ahead until the last donated dollar is spent.
                        Due to the many complexities of this disaster – and the extraordinary needs of the Haitian people – the emergency relief phase could last for up to 12 months. And because of its permanent presence in Haiti, the Red Cross expects to be involved in recovery efforts for much longer than that.
                        Food & Relief Supplies:

                         Volunteers from around the world, including those from the American Red Cross, are actively distributing food and other supplies, like tarps, rope, hygiene kits, water containers and cooking items. So far, at least 1.3 million people have received these basic, yet life-sustaining items.

                         Distributions continue regularly throughout urban settlements and in surrounding areas reaching approximately 12,500 people each day.

                        Water & Sanitation:

                         The Red Cross has delivered more than 25 million liters of safe drinking water in 110 different settlements since the earthquake. That translates to approximately 1.25 million liters per day – enough for 320,000 people.

                         To address sanitation needs and prevent the spread of disease, 450 latrines have also been installed.

                        Health:

                         More than 20,000 people have been treated by Red Cross health care facilities and mobile teams. That translates to approximately more than 1,000 patients per day.

                         The American Red Cross has also donated more than 900 units of blood for earthquake survivors.

                         These hospitals and clinics will continue to provide medical services for the community for at least the next five months.

                         In partnership with the Haitian government and UN agencies, the Red Cross is helping to promote a vaccination campaign in Haiti to protect children against measles and other infectious diseases. So far, nearly 15,000 have been vaccinated.

                         This first phase of the campaign will continue for at least four more weeks and aims to reach 250,000 people.

                         Fifteen million text messages have been sent to survivors, sharing important health messages, such as how to prevent the spread of disease and safely prepare food outdoors.

                        Restoring Family Links:
                        The Red Cross has the unique responsibility and expertise to help reconnect separated families in Haiti.
                        Caseworkers are helping people register at the official family linking Web site, place phone calls to loved ones abroad and find family members scattered throughout different settlements in Port-au-Prince. So far, nearly 33,000 people have been assisted in this way.
                        The American Red Cross is also supporting Haitian-Americans and others living in the Untied States who are looking for immediate relatives in Haiti.
 
The Haitian government is working to provide shelter to all who need it. This will take a long time to achieve, but Red Cross has already begun finding some temporary solutions to support the government and addressing this complex situation.
                        Initially, the Red Cross plans to provide emergency shelter supplies – tents, tarps or tools – for 400,000 people before the rainy season officially begins. We have already provided these items to nearly 180,000 people, and thousands more will be distributed in the days ahead.
                        Looking ahead, Red Cross shelter experts are working with the Haitian community to identify appropriate transitional shelter options for 150,000 of the most vulnerable people before the Caribbean hurricane season starts.
 
In just over a month, the American Red Cross has already spent or allocated $80 million of the $276 million donated to meet the most urgent needs of Haiti’s earthquake survivors (current as of 5 p.m., Feb. 16).
                        To meet the survivor’s immediate needs, the American Red Cross has spent or allocated 69 percent of the $80 million for food and water; 20 percent for shelter; and 11 percent for health and family services.
                        As the response progresses and recovery begins the Red Cross will continue to support these priority areas and longer-term assistance initiatives. The Red Cross will continue to invest the money entrusted to us by the American people in the most responsible way until the last donated dollar is spent.
                        Because of the generosity of donors, people in Haiti will receive more than immediate relief – they will receive resources, support and training from the Red Cross that will help them recover and rebuild in the years ahead.
                        People can donate in support of the relief effort in Haiti at www.redcross.org or by calling 1-800-REDCROSS. Mobile donors can text "Haiti" to 90999 to make a $10 contribution.
The American Red Cross is in Haiti as a part of the broader and coordinated Red Cross and Red Crescent network.
                        The American Red Cross has deployed more than 100 people to help with the relief efforts in Haiti, including staff members who were there at the time of the earthquake. In total, more than 600 Red Cross and Red Crescent workers from more than 30 countries are in Haiti, supporting the more than 2,500 Haitian Red Cross volunteers from Port-au-Prince.
                        Each Red Cross society team has its own roles and expertise on the ground. Working together, the global Red Cross network forms a very powerful engine for relief.
                        This is the largest single-country relief operation in global Red Cross history. The number of international teams in Haiti is greater than the number that responded to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which spanned 14 countries.
                        The American Red Cross is applying experience gained following other major disasters, including the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. For the past five years, we have been working with partners to construct water and sanitation systems, providing emotional support and healthcare, building shelters, restoring livelihoods, and preparing communities for the next disaster.
 
February 4, 2010--The humanitarian aid pipeline is opening wider and wider and logistical problems are getting smaller and smaller, but the needs in Haiti are still immense. Red Cross teams are on the ground assessing ways to not only meet the immediate needs but also provide long-term recovery assistance, such as restarting the local market economy and addressing housing needs.
                        Four Red Cross warehouses (two in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and two in Port-au-Prince, Haiti) are open and operating at full capacity.
                        The Red Cross is now producing 1 million liters of water per day, enough for 185,000 people to receive 5.4 liters per person per day. In addition, Red Cross teams are working to scale up latrine construction as quickly as possible.
                        To date, Red Cross distributions of food and relief items (blankets, kitchen sets, hygiene kits, buckets, water containers, laundry soap/detergent, and mosquito nets) have reached nearly 20,000 families (or 100,000 people).
                        To date, more than 64 flights carrying Red Cross aid from around the world have arrived in Santo Domingo and Haiti.
                        Shelter remains an urgent need. The Red Cross is working to provide a range of immediate shelter assistance, and we also are assessing needs and developing a strategy to meet long-term housing reconstruction needs.
 
The American Red Cross has spent or committed nearly $78 million to meet the most urgent needs of earthquake survivors.
                        To meet urgent needs, 71 percent of the funds spent or committedby the American Red Cross have been for food and water; 20 percent have been for shelter; and the rest are for health and family services.
 
The Red Cross is working to help survivors with needed health care to address community health needs and the emerging threat of the spread of infectious disease.
                        A major vaccination program will begin this Friday to vaccinate 150,000 children, ages 0 – 7, against measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough) and tetanus. Local and international Red Cross teams will join UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) to visit settlements throughout the city to vaccinate children. Along with vaccinations, the Red Cross will be teaching basic health skills, such as proper hand washing, waste disposal and safe food and water storage. Red Cross emotional support teams will also be on hand to help children with their emotional trauma caused by the earthquake.
                        At the combined six Red Cross health facilities, an average of 1,200 patients are being treated per day.
                         
The American Red Cross is in Haiti as a part of the broader and coordinated Red Cross and Red Crescent network.
                        The American Red Cross has more than 100 relief specialists and volunteers helping with the relief efforts in Haiti (including Creole interpreters on the USNS Comfort hospital ship). In total, more than 500 Red Cross and Red Crescent workers from at least 30 countries around the world are in Haiti working with thousands of Haitian Red Cross volunteers in areas such as health, logistics, relief supply distribution.
                        Each Red Cross society team has its own roles and expertise on the ground. Working together, the global Red Cross network provides a very powerful engine for relief and recovery.
                        This is already the largest single-country relief operation in global Red Cross history in terms of emergency response teams deployed. The number of teams in Haiti is greater than the number that responded to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which spanned 14 countries.
 
Because of the generosity of donors, people in Haiti will receive more than immediate relief — they will receive resources, support and training from the Red Cross that will help them recover and rebuild in the years ahead.
                        It is clear that what took minutes to destroy will take many years and the collective support from governments and relief agencies across the world to help mend. The American Red Cross is working in close coordination with other responding organizations and will undoubtedly collaborate on and support long-term recovery projects.
                        The American Red Cross is applying experience gained following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. For the past five years, we have been working with partners to construct water and sanitation systems, providing emotional support and healthcare, building shelters, restoring livelihoods, and preparing communities for the next disaster. We plan to offer a similar level of support in close collaboration with Red Cross partners and other international and local aid organizations in Haiti.
                        People can donate in support of the relief effort in Haiti at www.redcross.org or by calling 1-800-REDCROSS. Mobile donors can text “Haiti” to 90999 to make a $10 contribution.
                        A $10 donation would provide a first aid kit equipped with enough ointment and bandages for a Red Cross responder to treat 15-20 injured earthquake survivors. A $10 donation also can provide a family with two water cans to store clean drinking water, basic first aid supplies or a blanket appropriate to the climate.
 
Haiti Earthquakes:  January 27, 2010
 
KEY DEVELOPMENTS
 
• The American Red Cross has committed $30 million which will feed 1,000,000 people in Haiti for one month. The American Red Cross is partnering with the World Food Programme on this effort.
• Normal activity has returned to some parts of Port-au-Prince, including the opening of banks and supermarkets and fuel availability at gas stations.
• The only functioning pier at the seaport at Port-au-Prince is temporarily closed to assess new damage after a recent aftershock.
• The American Red Cross deployed two additional disaster specialists to Haiti and Panama to support communications and long term recovery planning.
 
 
CURRENT SITUATION
 
• Health – More than 500 people are receiving health care and treatment in Red Cross health facilities every day. This includes surgeries, psychosocial support, and outpatient care at a field hospital as well as three mobile Basic Healthcare Emergency. Response Units are providing services in a range of locations across Port-au-Prince. The number of injured people in need of emergency surgery is diminishing. Huge needs remain for post operative care; and care for infections, wounds and broken bones, and for those who have lost limbs.
• Water and Sanitation – Relief partners are now providing daily water for an estimated 275,000 people at 114 sites in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area. This includes more than 500,000 liters per day provided through the Red Cross. More than 2.5 million liters of water have been distributed by the Red Cross in Port-au-Prince and Leogane. Relief partners plan to increase distribution to reach 500,000 people daily with water, sanitation and hygiene facilities and services.
• Food and Agriculture – The major constraints to food delivery remain limited ports of entry and increased traffic congestion. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is working to address needs in the agricultural sector to prepare for the March to May planting season. Initial assessments indicate irrigation channels have been blocked by debris and landslides, and there is insufficient water available for irrigation.
• Logistics – As of January 24, relief agencies reported that fuel supply no longer constitutes a significant problem. In addition, there are reports of increased accessibility to private sector fuel in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area.
• Migration – Individuals with relatives in non-affected regions continue to take advantage of the Haitian government’s free transport service
 
THE RED CROSS RESPONSE
 
To date, 43 Red Cross relief flights have landed in either Port-au-Prince or the Dominican Republic. An additional Red Cross field hospital is being set up in Carrefour and is scheduled to begin providing services in the next few days.
Creole speakers trained by the American Red Cross continue to provide translation services to support emergency medical services provided aboard the U.S. military hospital ship, USNS Comfort. Red Cross teams have been making outreach visits to camps and communities to provide information and registrations for family tracing. A total of 731 names have been removed from the family tracing web site because the people concerned have been located. To date, the Red Cross has facilitated almost 2,000 phone calls between residents in Port-au-Prince and relatives living abroad.
The American Red Cross will continue to respond to the ongoing situation and act in coordination with the International Federation and global Red Cross network.
 
SUPPORT OF DONORS
 
The American Red Cross can accept gifts designated to the ongoing response to the earthquakes in Haiti, but asks that donors consider making a gift to the International Response Fund. Donors can help the victims of countless crises around the world each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. Donations to the International Response Fund can be sent to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013 or made by phone at1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting redcross.org.

  

January 25, 2010--The Red Cross has now been able to reach survivors outside the capital city, providing first aid in camps and prioritizing the need for food, water and other basic supplies. Teams are focused on purifying the water supply available in the country and expect to deliver clean drinking water to 200,000 to 400,000 people each day by truck.

So far, approximately 100 tons of Red Cross aid has arrived in Haiti. Planes and trucks carrying additional assistance are arriving in the region every day.

In partnership with the World Food Program in Haiti, approximately 3 million pre-packaged meals will be provided to those in need. The 100 truckloads of meals are expected to arrive by the weekend. In the days ahead, the Red Cross will also provide tents and shelter supplies for an initial 20,000 families.

There are more than 400 Red Cross workers from around the world in Haiti, as well as thousands of local volunteers. Responders from seven countries are treating injuries and performing surgery at hospitals and medical centers throughout the capital city. More than 70 Creole-speaking Red Cross volunteers have been trained and will soon join the USNS Comfort offshore in Haiti to translate for patients receiving medical care from the U.S. military.

American Red Cross President and CEO Gail McGovern traveled to Haiti yesterday to visit relief operations and help coordinate the distribution of aid. “This is an enormous relief operation now, and will be a massive long-term recovery effort. The Red Cross will be there every step of the way,” McGovern stated.

People can donate in support of the relief effort in Haiti at www.redcross.org or by calling 1-800-REDCROSS. Mobile donors can text “Haiti” to 90999 to make a $10 contribution. A $10 donation made through mobile giving can provide a family with two water cans to store clean drinking water, a blanket appropriate to the climate or other supplies to give people the ability to cook for their families.

You can help the victims of countless crises, like the recent earthquake in Haiti, around the world each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster, please do so at the time of your donation by mailing your donation with the designation to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013 or to your local American Red Cross chapter. Donations to the International Response Fund can be made by phone at 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish) or online at www.redcross.org.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.