No Haiti Mission For Ohio Search Team-not enough support for the team once it arrived in Haiti

[The Straight Story]

No Haiti Mission For Ohio Search Team

DAYTON, Ohio — Ohio's efforts will not be utilized for search and rescue efforts in Haiti.

Ohio Task Force One was mobilized for deployment to the county last week, but several of the team's scheduled departures were scrubbed.

Its deployment officially ended at 6 p.m. Sunday.

Two cargo planes were loaded with the team's equipment on Saturday, but officials told the team to stand down and unload.

Task force representatives said they were told that there was not enough support for the team once it arrived in Haiti.

The team is comprised of 80 members from Ohio and Kentucky.

http://www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2010/01/18/story-columbus-task-force-one-haiti.html?sid=102

[alsame]

1. What does that mean, "not enough support for the team"? I don't

understand this.

[ElmoBlatz]

3. Shelter...

Food, water, security....

[alsame]

4. But I thought these teams brought their own supplies. nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. Not their own security

also they are scrubbing because we are entering RECOVERY phase

[alsame]

11. Which means they have lowered expectations for finding

more survivors alive, right?

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. Exacctly and outisde the supermarket

where there is more hope due to food, we are rapidly out of that windown

[alsame]

13. That's what I thought. Damn.

[Wilms]

2. Not so fast. The team has it's own supply. Someone is blowing smoke.

"But according to Chief Brown, the teams are self-sufficient and travel with food, water, generators, fuel and vehicles and don't need outside assistance."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4230235&mesg_id=4230235

[alsame]

5. Ah, I think you answered my question. It didn't make any sense to me. nt

[niyad]

6. something is definitely wrong here

[ProgressiveProfessor]

7. Take a look at the bigger picture...

Everyone scrambled for Haiti. The response was both overwhelming and gratifying. However, there is a choked airport operating and 100X normal usage, and damaged infrastructure. Even self sufficient units require some local support. If the bubbas in charge (and there is some dispute as to whom they are) are saying we have enough of X, I would tend to go along with them.

Its not a slight, other units in the US and elsewhere have been told to stand down too.

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. +1 and at this point it is a recovery mission

[Waiting For Everyman]

8. Kick. n/t

[virgogal]

14. I find this incredibly sad. There is a great need,we have the help,yet

logistics is holding them back.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

17. Actually logistics is the enabler...without logisticians on the ground it would be much worse

Everybody wants to help, but the key is not volunteers or supplies, its getting off the airport and to where they are needed. Hopefully the port will be function in a few days and that will help too. Making that happen is the what logistics is all about.

The guys on the ground know what is needed better that off site well wishing people. No one should take it personally if they are told they are not needed or something else is higher priority in the short term. Save the support for the long haul when Haiti is off the front page but still suffering.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

15. Only so many people can flock to haiti before it becomes a clusterfuck.

And then less gets done because the help is geting in it's own way.
Good call on the part of the Task Force.
When there is support for more help I'm sure more help will arrive.

[HeresyLives]

16. Less than a 7% chance of finding anyone

alive today. People are still trying of course, and a few will be lucky and get found in time, but odds are we're talking bodies.