HAITI DISASTER

HAITI DISASTER

How I would tackle the Logistics

Everyone is concerned for the plight of the disaster victims. Already more than 60 hours have passed and the Media is full of stories.

We saw President Barack Obama promising action! Well CNN reported 329 US troops in Haiti a short while ago!

That was not the action he promised and that was not the action that we the public expected!

In 1944 there was D DAY and although that took years to organise, the plans are there and just need the cobwebs and dust to be removed!

Later there was the Berlin Airlift that was a little more impromtu but put together in a hurry. All those working in both of these efforts are long retired BUT the plans are still discussed in Officer Training Colleges.

WHY I a civilian has to ask the question “ if 3500 Paratroops are mobilised WHY they have not parachuted into the Haiti disaster and delivered aid , whether First Aid or rounding up the transport to move people?

3500 paratroops trained to jump into any environment, 60+hrs after the disaster still not in Haiti?

WHY? They are experienced in all aspects needed in Haiti and have the Medical Supplies and expertise that has all but run out in Haiti. They carry all that they need for days with them and additional items can be palletised and dropped with them or sent in later. There are really no excuses for the lack of action to this time, it looks more like inexperienced Officers covering their ASS!

SAW a welcoming committee for some people arriving off an aircraft, plenty of well pressed uniforms, were they off to a cocktail party ? I don’t care if they were heads of state arriving. There are too many important duties to be dealt with for heads of service to take time out for Meet and Greet”. Have a Victory Celebration at a later date once the lives have been saved but concentrate on the important issues saving lives Now!

WHAT is so hard that the Paratroopers were not airlifted and dropped into Haiti in the first 24 hrs of the quake? OK some of them may have to travel to their base from their family homes in far flung parts of the USA or are on leave out of the country but not each and every body in that organisation was unavailable to fill an advance party. Heard of radios ,heard of sat phones, heard of reacting to an emergency. Getting the job done requires troops to be at Headquarters 24/7/365 or am I misinformed?


The advance party could have been rounding up transport, whether from Haitian Government resources or “borrowing” from inhabitants doesn’t matter. I know any hungry Haitian would have willingly joined the action knowing there was food and water for his family for cooperating.

The advance party could also have scouted out “Landing Zones “ for the troops and pallets following. The people of Port au Prince are going to need somewhere to live in the next months and even years, so why not turn the areas around the “landing Zones” into a settlement area and after the airlift drops finish, these areas can be utilised also. So we have troops on the ground with limited resources clearing the area of impediments to Pallets floating in. it will be necessary to set up a perimeter to keep out the disorder that will follow as “Hungry People “ will see “manna” arriving from the heavens”.

Having established the settlement areas people will start to flow out of the devastated downtown area towards where they see the relief supplies being issued. People will be willing to work once they know their offspring are in a secure area. The able bodied can be put to work erecting tents, digging latrines and constructing flatpack buildings once they become available.

There is an Aircraft Carrier arriving, why are the helicopters not in action ? They have fuel enough to fly in medical supplies and personnel. The media know where the makeshift hospitals are, they may even be able to give the GPS locations so that if necessary the helicopter hovers over the set down zone whilst the personnel rappel in with their supplies and equipment.

Whilst writing this I am listening and watching Larry King Live and hearing criticism of the lack of action to that date hours ago. Watching heartbreaking results of lack of coordination of supplies and resources. Even the director of USAID must be frustrated at how little is achieved at this time, but ever the diplomat is finding reason not to voice all that needs to be said.

Last night I heard Gen.Honore’ give advice on what he would like to see taking place and yet 15 hrs later there are very few signs of his advice being heeded. The only organisation I am seeing succeed is ICE SAR they got themselves from their home in Iceland to Haiti and into action and at this time have accomplished more that all the Speaking heads have together; they have saved a life, perhaps more.

TIME waits for no man and each rescued victim speaks of hearing wailing trapped victims who gradually fell silent whilst they awaited their rescue. Everyone talks of 72 hrs without water being the limit most survive without water. A little light relief was hearing of the person rescued from a candy store. 61+hrs and CNN are still reporting a lack of US action, the might of the wealthiest nation stymied by the lack of creative action. People who are in the makeshift hospitals are dying from simple treatable injuries through lack of the medical supplies that could have been parachuted in with the troops. Looting now in progress and there is no end in sight for the survivors who will become more and more desperate as days pass without succour.


62+ hrs and we are watching people driving around in pickup trucks and CNN reporting that there is no transport to move the incoming supplies, are they kidding? There is improvisation, it is either confiscate the vehicles or allow them to drive their vehicle in “Armed Convoy” to the dispersal points or Hospitals. It is incredible that “ICE SAR” can rescue people and the supplies cannot be moved to the Hospitals. How were the media able to get transport they negotiated for it or rented it , but regardless they took the initiative and got on with the job.

The Port is a disaster but in the early days people used to carry cartons and sacks from the unloaded ships, perhaps some of the supplies can be moved this way. Helicopters also can be utilised to lift off the deck of the ships. Improvise and make do with what is available. The entry road is a problem so instead of using the dump trucks to move bodies use them to build a ramp to fill in the damage between the ships and the road system. All that is missing is the organisation and the will to achieve a result.

At the airport they are talking of fuel problems, I sent a tweet last night to @the joint staff asking that they solve the problem by sending in a Tanker Aircraft loaded with fuel. Did this happen, who knows but aircraft being turned away was a reality last night. Military aircraft have been seen in previous conflicts over flying an area and skidding out supplies, why cannot this be done on this occasion.

Ambassador Merton has to take a stronger position in advising the Haitian Authorities so as to get more prompt cooperation. There can only be one controlling authority and as the UN are facing leadership problems as a result of the disaster and the USA are the strongest and closest nation to this disaster it would seem to be in everyone’s best interests to allow their experts to take the lead in the relief effort organisation. Many flights will have to touch on US airspace on the way into Port au Prince.


At 1500gmt I am seeing on CNN TV, 2 large helicopters at the airport and then @thejointstaff announced that the Aircraft Carrier USS Carl Vinson is off the coast of Haiti. These helicopters have quite a long range so could have been delivering medical supplies and personnel so many hours earlier. Why the delay, why did so many have to die in the interim from injuries that could have been treated if those helicopters had been there earlier with medical supplies and personnel.


Good news folks the Carrier is carrying 19 helicopter., As the Carrier steamed down the coast there could have been many more helicopters flown aboard. There is urgent need for hundreds of these work horses and now an opportunity has been lost. The supplies at the airport have to be moved some how and with the risk of high jacking growing this would have solved some of the problems.

Time is running out for the victims as there are only 3 Operating Theatres aboard the Carrier and 51 beds so it is likely there will be a limited response to treating the huge numbers of injured who are clinging to life. I guess some crew space will be given over to housing the extra treated patients once they are onboard.



19 helicopters are going to be flat out ferrying in patients and despatching the drinking water made on board and the supplies that they are carrying. Seems to me that there is a lack of expertise being demonstrated by the military at this time. Whoever cut the orders did not consider the scale of the disaster and the urgency of providing assistance. Catch up may well be the name of the game but “a stitch in time “ works better from my viewpoint.

Disease prevention is now a top priority and the only way this can be tackled is to move the populace further from the “City Centre” so as to avoid air borne bacterial disease. Families already decimated by the quake now run the risk of further loss due to the lack of organisation in clearing up the unfortunate victims. It is shameful that deceased people have been picked up in dumpsters and carted off to communal graves without any attempt to identify them, but the hot weather dictates how dangerous delay will be to the living.


Below are a selection of the "Tweets I sent these past 24hrs ,starting at 1800hrs 14/01/10


@thejointstaff @cnnbrk when the immediate crisis is over you need to chop out the "dead wood" as Pres.OBAMA must be frustrated with incompetence

@thejointstaff read my blog and respond www.parrabuddy.blogspot.com . your staff are doing an inadequate job solving an immense tradegy !! 33 minutes ago from web

@KevinRuddPM get your mate Barack out of bed to read my blog, he needs to KICK BUTT BIGTIME!! www.parrabuddy.blogspot.com HAITI needs action about 6 hours ago from web

new blog about #HAITI DISASTER in www.parrabuddy.blogspot.com in place. follow as i add more ideas for Pres.OBAMA's people to use!ACT NOW! about 7 hours ago from web

@cnnbrk you report 300US troops, and planes unable to land!Shame the @thejointstaff into using parashute delivery! D DAY was 65y ago! ACTION about 8 hours ago from web

@thejointstaff recruit Gen Honore' & ICE SAR to run the Haiti Op!ACTION NOW! people are dying from neglect caused by lack of US Troop Action about 8 hours ago from web

@KevinRuddPM heard of D day,suggest you get SAS into Haiti by shute to join ICE SAR in organising as US still sitting on their hands!ACTION! about 8 hours ago from web

@KevinRuddPM heard of D day,suggest you get SAS into Haiti by shute to join ICE SAR in organising as US still sitting on their hands!ACTION! about 8 hours ago from web

@whitehouse read my tweet profile,keep you awake nights the lack of action in haiti! paras &supplies by shute NOW! save lives even americans about 9 hours ago from web

@whitehouse Carl Vinson can flyoff med teams &supplies NOW! OBAMA kick butt today,people dying as your planners plan ¬ act!rescue buried! about 9 hours ago from web

@whitehouse Obama promised action on Haiti! 3500paras going!heard of using paraschutes to arrive?people are dying from lack of med supplies! about 9 hours ago from web

@AMANPOUR advised @thejointstaff to get a flying fuel tanker into haiti 12hrs ago and yet cnn just report there is no fuel! KICK BUTT OBAMA about 11 hours ago from web

@thejointstaff where is the fuel tanker that i told you about 12hrs ago! haiti airport needs fuel that you have sitting on ground! WAKE UP ! about 11 hours ago from web

@thejointstaff lives lost in past 11hrs due to lack of action! where are the seabees for the port!rescue dogs &med.supplies all parascutable about 11 hours ago from web

@thejointstaff flattop nearbut no choppers ferrying med supplies or evac people to empty sick berths! kick butt!improvise!people dying NOW! about 11 hours ago from web

@thejointstaff 5.50gmt CNN advise 300 UStroops on ground! 3500paras coming!these trained in arrival by chute get the passport stampers toL/G about 11 hours ago from web

@thejointstaff went to http://www.jcs.mil/ posed my comment but expect an answer next year with the system in place.NIKE motto "DO IT NOW" about 22 hours ago from web

@kingsthings promises madewhen action needed!@sanjaygupta in hospital empty handed with flattop nearby!chopper in the hands,equip&supplies!! about 22 hours ago from web

@thejointstaff what i see on cnn is buried people dying,parachute in seabee,troops & equip if necessary!solve the snarl with choppers&action about 22 hours ago from web

@thejointstaff Help Haiti by Putting Gen Honore in charge!get More Pants On The Ground clearing access to port and airfield!rescue dogs about 22 hours ago from web

@cnnbrk gen honore s/be in charge. carries the clout and experience!buried people dying whilst we look on!action now not eulogies later svp! about 23 hours ago from web

@cnnbrk promised money helps but overflights s/have spotted problems!dogs needed to find buried,"seabees" can organise the rescue!organise! about 23 hours ago from web

i wonder if anyone read these tweets let alone took action to see if what i highlighted could be of help to the victims in Haiti


68+hrs now, the day is drawing to a close and ICE SAR has found & rescued another victim. These volunteers are worth their weight in Gold. They live on a small cold Island and leave their families to come to this disaster and suffer the extremes in temperature whilst risking their lives to aid and comfort complete strangers. How many of us would give up their comforts to follow their example?


Pres. Obama about to speak, hope he announces some “DCMs” because some are well overdue. CNN says that 10000 troops will now be made available for deployment in Haiti.


WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE is establishment of a “Combined Services Disaster Unit “ on 24/7/365 status so that regardless where in the world a disaster takes place there will be Medical and Organisation team in the Air ENROUTE within the hour, not two days or more later! Could be it will be necessary to have several units based in USA , Europe , Japan and Australia but all on short deployment notice. Dedicated aircraft would have to be fully resourced and on immediate standby to fulfil any mission that will required of these teams.


Gen. Honore’ is retired but has the experience to put the first steps in place, he did a good job in Katrina and has earned the respect of all.

Enough of my tirade, I am a civilian looking in from the outside at a disaster with the likelihood to be as terrible as the 2004 TSunami.






This blog is going to be added to as I put the material together!