America's North Shore Journal

The United States military is makes a massive effort to make information available about the operations in Haiti. Facebook, Twitter and many, many Bloggers’ Roundtables are all a part of their strategy. We have participated in many interviews in the last few days with more to come.

US experts examine Haiti port damages

Divers have examined much of the port area in Port-au-Prince. There is damage, both on the surface and underwater. It may be possible to open a portion of the port, at least to LCU’s this week. The petrol port will take longer to survey and to get into operation.

On Sunday, the airport handled all the aircraft that arrived. None were diverted, for the first time since the quake. Haitian air traffic controllers are working alongside Air Force personnel. The Government of Haiti has established the general priorities for aircraft to land.

The Marines moved into the PaP neighborhood of Leogane this morning. As of noon, only the beachmaster equipment had gone ashore, to clear obstacles and clear a path for the coming amphibious vehicles.

Bataan sailed with medical staff for one operating room and limited supplies. It was a very fast evolution and they are waiting follow on supplies and an additional 70-80 medical personnel.

The Canadians are in the southern port city of Jacmel in force. They are trying to open a route between that city and the Dominican Republic.

B-roll of Medical staff assigned to the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) join Coast Guardsmen assigned to USCGC Tahoma (WMEC 908) and Haitian volunteers treat earthquake victims at the Killick Haitian Coast Guard Base clinic. Carl Vinson and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 are conducting humanitarian and disaster relief operations as part of Operation Unified Response after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake caused severe damage near Port-au-Prince on Jan. 12, 2010. Produced by Petty Officer 2nd Class Ashley Van Dien

Humanitarian assistance efforts in Haiti are improving every day despite enormous challenges, the commander of Joint Task Force Haiti said.

“Today, we had 180 flights go through the airport with zero delays,” Army Lt. Gen. P.K. “Ken” Keen said yesterday during a “DoDLive” bloggers roundtable. “That’s the first day since we started that we did not have a delay.”

For perspective, Keen noted that the single runway at the Port-au-Prince airport handled just 13 flights per day before the earthquake. U.S. airmen opened the airport less than 24 hours after the earthquake in response to a request for help from Haitian authorities. It then took several days to streamline the system for handling the crush of planes carrying supplies. Landing time slots now are now assigned based on priorities set by Haitian officials, he explained.

As of yesterday, U.S. troops had distributed 400,000 bottles of water, 300,000 rations and 12,000 pounds of medical supplies, Keen said, adding that those figures count only U.S. contributions. Numerous nations and international aid groups also are delivering assistance, he said.

But while the amount of aid is substantial, Keen said, it’s just a drop in the bucket compared to the needs of some 3.5 million people who are suffering, so the size of U.S. military force in Haiti — in an operation now dubbed “Unified Response” — will continue to grow.

“We have about 1,400 military on the ground right now,” he said. “We have another approximately 5,000 that are afloat on various ships supporting us. We will grow that force over the coming weeks to where we will have about 4,000 to 5,000 on Haiti and another 5,000 offshore supporting us.”

Personnel from the David Grant USAF Medical Center are bringing a 10-bed, completely portable “hospital in a box” known as an expeditionary medical support unit. The EMEDS will represent the first Air Force medical assets to be airlifted from Travis to Haiti.

Accompanying the EMEDS will be an elite three-member Critical Care Air Transportation Team – essentially a flying intensive care unit.

“Our time has come,” said Col. (Dr.) Brian Hayes, the commander of the 60th Medical Group during remarks before the EMEDS team. “Years from now, when your family members will ask you what you did in the Air Force, I’m sure this will be one of the most memorable events in your lives and medical careers that you will look back on and tell your story.”

The mission of an EMEDS team, which includes physicians, nurses, and a variety of medical technicians, is to rapidly deploy and provide forward stabilization, primary care, and dental services to support a population-at-risk of 3,000 to 5,000 people. The EMEDS+10 package and personnel being airlifted to Haiti are capable of providing medical and dental care for seven days in an austere environment without re-supply.

Critical Care Air Transport Teams assist in carrying out the mission of the Air Force’s aeromedical evacuation system, which includes air transport of patients under medical supervision while delivering optimal care.

Once deployed, the CCATTs are a limited, rapidly-deployable resource available in selected situations to supplement the aeromedical system. They are engaged after a patient has received essential, stabilizing care by supported ground medical support personnel. CCATTs are able to continuously monitor and maintain stabilization of critically ill/injured/burned patients during patient movement activities in either an inter- or intra-theater aeromedical mission support role.

“Since we heard the first news reports coming out of Haiti, the 60th Medical Group has been planning and preparing for an official tasking,” said Col. John Mansfield, the deputy commander of the 60th Medical Group. “In fact, our medical readiness unit here at DGMC did an outstanding job in getting a team assembled and medically prepared to deploy within a 12-hour timeframe.”

The 10 beds in the EMEDS will provide complex medical and surgical inpatient capability consistent with the in-country evacuation policy, as determined by the on-scene commander. The core infrastructure provides additional ancillary support, medical equipment maintenance and facility management, although blood storage, collection and transfusion capability is limited.

An additional 25 personnel from DGMC are prepared to augment the initial EMEDS team after deployment. When combined, the 83-member staff can provide medical care for a 25-bed hospital capable of supporting 5,000 to 6,500 Haitian refugees.

Day Four (16Jan): As our port assessments were completed, we steamed to the Windward Pass to assume the position of a Commander Task Force. With surface and air assets, we have two missions right now. One – to pave the way for supplies to be delivered into the port of Cap Hatien (one of the many ports that will be used through the next few months). Two – prevent migrant smugglers from trying to profit from the misfortune of the Haitian people by putting them in more danger on the open seas in unstable vessels.

Day Five (17Jan): Our helicopter and a cutter crewmember performed damage assessment overflight of Route 1 from Cap Haitien to Gonaives (we already had completed Gonaives to PAP). This verified that relief efforts delivered to Cap Haitien can be trucked to PAP, it means Cap Haitien is a viable port. Our task unit continued to work with local Cap Haitien officials to pave the way for relief supplies.

Day Six (18Jan): Our helo performed medical evacuations from Killick Haitian CG Base to the Sacred Heart Hospital in Milot. The flight mechanic talked about two children on the first flight who wanted to hold his hand for comfort. In total, they transferred nine non-ambulatory people in stokes litters. The task unit continued its work in Cap Haitien.