Update from PDG Dick - January 21

Video source: CNN

Dear Fellow Rotarians


We had two flights today from Nassau into Haiti today. We had the Odyssey Caravan loaded with 3000lbs of medical supplies for Pignon and another flight sponsored by Van Meurs Corporation and taking in some high end medical supplies with the Red Cross. Unfortunatley when the Caravan arrived the Pignon grass strip was fogged in so Captian Paul Aranha went back to Cap Haitien. Caleb called his brother who met the flight there and secured the supplies while the Pignon Hospital truck drove to Cap Haitien and collected everything. It went very well and the supplies were at work with the sick and wounded last night when I spoke to DGN Dr. Guy.

A young woman begs for her leg to not be amputated after doctors concluded that it had to be cut off. PHOTO: Shaul Schwarz / Reportage via Getty Images for TIME

The second flight arrived later and went directly to Pignon. They were received by the ground team, given a tour of the hospital dropped the supplies an left. I hope to hear from them this morning.

We had some interesting Air issues yesterday. A gentleman that was adding his plane to the fleet from the Bahmas had to ditch in the sea on the way down here. No injuries but very unfortunate. Another flight lost an engine due to catastrophic failure on take off, but he was empty so all was well. He called me last night and has borrowed a friend's plane and has an engine on the wait for his. The challenge ahead is Inagua is out of gas and does not expect to have any until Wednesday next week. We will now need to fly through Georgetown Exuma with the small planes for refueling which adds to distance and time. Our Caravan uses jet A so it's still OK.

A boy injured in the earthquake is treated by a medical team from Cuba. According to medical workers, he is orphaned; both of his parents were killed in the collapse of their home. Photo: Timothy Fadek / Polaris for TIME

It was a very difficult day on the communication side yesterday. I did not get through to Claude Surena at all and neither did any of the ground team so we are still struggling with the communication is a big way. I did hear from Assistant Governor Ted Lazzare. He had moved out of his car and into a Shelter Box and felt that he could venture further now that his wife and daughter were properly sheltered. We were also able to give him some cash so he can get some supplies and gas. He will be trying to locate some of the Carrefour members and assist with their plight.

I will be meeting with the Red Cross today in Nassau. They have received enormous amounts of "Stuff" for Haiti. Much of it is still outside their building and they are sorting. If there are critical supplies there we will take them and get them on the ground in Haiti in the next short while. The rest of the stuff can go with our Sea shipment which is being planned now. We are trying to secure containers in Nassau and Freeport which can go down. A number of Rotarians are trying to secure a barge that we can ship on. I have contacted a fellow Rotarian from the Petionville club in Haiti and he will provide the trucking for the goods. We can container ship to Cap Haitien and truck down or Ro-Ro barge to St. Marc or Gonaives, so the plan is coming together. This shipment will be things like food, water, beds, blankets, heavy supplies and clothing as a filler.

The surgical tent in the Hospital yard in Les Cayes is imminent. I should have final times on that later today.

Residents use buckets to collect unsafe water streaming into an open sewer. Municipal water pipes were damaged by the earthquake, disrupting the supply of drinking water. Photo: Timothy Fadek / Polaris for TIME


St. Croix has a barge in St. Marc full of 1200 cases of water and additional supplies. I will try to get information on that for you today. The Tortola X-Ray machine and supplies are in the air and will be in Port de Paix by noon today. Yves will meet the flight. There are two Doctors on board that flight that are being dropped in Pignon and will go to Claude Surena's house/clinic when they arrive. The Dialysis machines are still needed.

We have 100 water boxes couriered to Miami and in the queue and destined for Haiti consigned to our team down there. I will try to find out how we can move them through quickly today.

I'll keep you posted.
PDG Dick