Here's hoping the second Doctors w/o Borders flight is given permission to land

[lebkuchen]

They've been turned away before, and they're carrying a field hospital! Nobody on the ground and in the planes seems to know who is in charge. If it's USAID, here's their e-mail. You might consider begging them to let Doctors w/o Borders land, and while they're at it, get some water to the makeshift hospitals so more patients don't die tonight.

http://www.usaid.gov/contact.html

[Captain Hilts]

1. The airport is over-loaded with stuff. nt

[tabatha]

2. I saw an interview with traffic controllers - and

they said they were so overloaded, there is an accident waiting to happen.

[lebkuchen]

3. How does an airport know if a plane is overloaded

if one doesn't even have a control tower?

Serious question. I don't pilot.

[northzax]

5. air traffic is being controlled

by a Coast Guard cutter offshore.

[stray cat]

6. I think it is being directed off site on a ship or plane

[Control-Z]

18. I believe it is the airport

that is overloaded, not the plane. At least that is how I interpreted it before I saw your post.

[anigbrowl]

22. The air traffic controllers are overloaded

...not the individual plane. It is not an easy thing to do - at one level it just seems like directing traffic but if you screw up you cause a plane crash, not a fender bender. Doing it from a remote location where you can't look directly at the planes as they land enormously magnifies the risks.

[tabatha]

25. The traffic controllers were overloaded with work.

Not the planes.

[northzax]

4. actually it's the Coast Guard

there is no ATC system in place at the one-runway airport yet. the USAF is building an emergency one now, along with makeshift taxiways to increase capacity. so flights are being controlled from a cutter offshore.

[stray cat]

7. Its a question of priorities and what they have on the ground already

[Warpy]

8. In the meantime, lots of people are lauding them as being

the most effective agency on the ground right now. Their own site quotes their docs as seeing more horrific injuries in Haiti than they've ever seen anywhere before, and Doctors Without Borders goes into every hell hole on the planet.

I hope their second field hospital, which is what is on that plane, is allowed to land. It seems like they desperately need the additional facilities.

[stray cat]

9. Doctors without borders; Partners in Health; rescue teams are now getting out in force

The US has their huge floating hospitial arriving. I think Parters in Health - worked mainly by Haitians has been put in charge of the primary hosptial for PortaPrince by the WHO.

[bettyellen]

13. from what i understand they need med supplies and water even more than another building

but that makes too much sense, and gives the pros some credit.

[WolverineDG]

19. Stop applying logic to the backseat driving going on here

:hi: be! Long time no see!

Yes, heaven forfend the folks on the ground actually know what they're dealing with better than the armchair quarterbacks.

dg

[lebkuchen]

28. Great post

Thanks.

[Individualist]

10. K&R

[happy_liberal]

11. If they can get Americans out, they can let this plane land

Is this a different plane than the French plane with the field hospital?

US denies landing rights to French plane with field hospital
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7481735

[hack89]

12. The planes weren't sent there to evacuate Americans

they carry relief supplies in and people out. It makes no sense to fly back empty.

[bettyellen]

14. did you think they land empty passenger jets just to evacualet americans? fucking moronic idea

[happy_liberal]

16. This American was in Miami by wednesday

"Brelsford was among 11 injured survivors from Haiti flown to the University of Miami Jackson Memorial Hospital on Wednesday. Mark McKenney, a trauma surgeon, said UM and other hospitals across South Florida were bracing for the airlift of more victims.

Brelsford, a student at Arizona State University who grew up in Alaska, said she is thankful to be alive. She was transported to a United Nations peacekeeping base, where she slept on the floor with about 100 other Haitian and American survivors. Eventually she was flown to the hospital where her right leg was amputated."



We were told the supplies couldn't reach Haiti that fast because of the airport...it looks like Americans are getting preferential treatment.

[WolverineDG]

20. FFS

If you've got nothing better to do than to crap on people who are on the ground in Haiti up to their asses in alligators, doing the BEST THEY FUCKING CAN WITH WHAT LITTLE THEY DO HAVE, then kindly STFU.

Or, better yet, since you're such an expert, TURN OFF YOUR COMPUTER & GET YOUR ASS TO HAITI NOW & SHOW 'EM HOW IT'S DONE.

dg

[bettyellen]

24. did it occur to you that these planes BOTH brought essential equiptment AND then evacuated people?

and that takes quite a bit more planning than even iccured to you and many here on this board

[bettyellen]

15. .

[WolverineDG]

17. How come you're here on DU &

not in Haiti building another airport? There is only one airport, with one runway, & one road leading to/from. They can only handle 90 planes per day, & unable to refuel whatever planes do land there.

Seems to me they have enough on their hands without nagging from armchair quarterbacks.

dg

[happy_liberal]

23. wow, what a great argument

haven't heard that response before...

[piedmont]

26. And you haven't given a cogent response to it either. nt

[WolverineDG]

27. Well, you're acting like you know it all nt

[midnight]

21. k&R