Prioritize (more) helicopters to mobilize relief supplies in Haiti

Thank you for visiting the petition site. Given the significant positive changes in logistics of supply distribution in Haiti the petition is no longer needed. Thank you for being an involved individual. Details on the positive changes in logistics planning in Haiti are below.

As of 2/4/10 the ground mobility of "supplies" in Haiti has dramatically changed. As it pertains to food: World Food Program (WFP) has established 16 permanent sites for food distribution in and around Port au Prince (PAP). A coupon system has been established to regulate and document distributions. "Women" can take these coupons to redeem a 55 pound bag of rice. To date 850,000 people have received food. UN stabilization Mission in Haiti (MUNISTAH) reports that general security is stabilized. The UN has hired haitians to clear the roads, this also improves ground mobility. As it pertains to medical treatment: Over 23 thousand patients have been treated by the US dept. of health, USAID, and OFDA alone. The joint US military Haitian task force have treated 3, 300 patients, 800 of which have been on board one of the four US ships. Florida alone has treated 530 Haitians and many caribbean country states are in the process of accepting the injured. Project Medishare for Haiti (private relief group) plans on building a 250 bed state of the art trauma center in PAP. For additional up-to-date information visit www.USAID.org. Thanks again.

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ORIGINAL PETITION:

Haiti's 7.0 earthquake and subsequent tremors ranging from 6.0-2.5 magnitude have decimated the infrastructure and people. As of 1/24/10 there are over 111,000 people confirmed dead and 600,000 homeless in the Port au Prince (PAP) area. International aid including supplies have a means of entering the country. The USS Carl Vincent aircraft carrier has moved in to act as a floating airport. The airport at Port au Prince has only one runway but is operational. Jacmel air port is operational and San Isidro airport in the Dominican Republic (120 miles away) is open relief operations.

Relief cargo pours into the country. As of January 28 2010, twenty four ships transporting relief cargo and 15 thousand personnel have reached Haiti. Nonetheless, hospitals and medical stations, where hundreds and thousands are gathered, still await help.

These include but are not limited to: the PAP Area, Choscal hospital, cite soleil, Hospital Universite D’etat D’Haiti, Saint Francis de Sales Hospital; West of PAP: Villa Creole hotel, Paitionville, Petit Goâve, Grand Goâve, Léogâne; Jacmel hospital.

“There are serious, unmet food and water needs and part of it is that a distribution system just does not exist.” (Bill Clinton addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, 1/28/10)

The US Air Force is in control of the airport at PAP. As of 1/28/10 a confirmed 63 helicopters are on the ground. Nonetheless supplies are not reaching areas of concentrated medical need resulting in the mass movement of vulnerable populations in search of help.

Priority has been given to the mobilization of military security on the ground. Although this is indeed important the loss of human life will also be exacerbated without the concomitant transportation of medical supplies to established medical facilities. Furthermore, efficient shuttling of supplies would result in basic and medical needs being met. This would reduce the pattern which is now being seen. Haitians are moving around the affected area in search for help and as a result, are missing out on it.

Given the catastrophic damage to ground infrastructure US helicopters in Haiti are key to the meaningful mobilization of medical personnel and supplies. This is not to be confused with food "air drops." Haiti needs a strategic shuttling of medical supplies from the airports at Jacmel (southwest of PAP), PAP international airport, San Isidro Airport in the D.R and the port (30% operational as of 1/25/10) to the above mentioned hospitals, medical stations and areas of concentrated medical need.