A great deal has been happening in Haiti in the last few hours. A second set of air drops was conducted today by American C-17′s. The U.S. military has more ships and soldiers, sailors and Marines en route to provide assistance.

Here is a summary with links to longer stories on the various topics.

Port Operations in Port-au-Prince

A potion of the port is operating at this time. Inspection of the piers and other infrastructure and equipment found that some of the port is safe for docking. The areas that may be unsafe have been marked and will receive light use at best. U U.S. Navy ship was the first to unload and a private vessel is expected to follow shortly.

The Haitian Coast Guard base at the port was damaged by the earthquake but it, and the sailors manning it, have been serving as s shore base for U.S. Coast Guard activities. A medical clinic staffed by the Coast Guard is in operation at that site.

The U.S. Coast Guard ship Oak, a buoy tender, is engaged in marking safe channels in the harbor.

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Medical Assistance to Haiti Offshore
The hospital ship Comfort and the USS Bataan are both receiving patients by air. The aircraft carrier Carl Vinson is backstopping these vessels with its own medical facilities.

USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) Today, our 7th day in Haiti, has been a busy one. Countless flights to bring supplies ashore, plus we flew more than 20 medevac patients aboard. We also delivered supplies to Father Leriche’s Parish on Gonave Island. Many from Port-au-Prince fled to the island after the earthquake, and these were the first supplies the… island has received since the disaster. We also brought back 3 patients for medical treatment.

USS Bataan (LHD 5) Bataan’s medical team is currently treating a total of 22 Haitian’s who were airlifted to our ship last night and this afternoon. Our folks are working feverishly to find any and everyone who may need our help. Access to these people remain a challenge, but we are pushing through to help those in need. You can all take great pride in the work being done by your Navy, Marine, and Coast Guard team. – Capt. Negus

USNS Comfort The U.S. Navy hospital ship, USNS COMFORT (T-AH 20), arrived off the coast of Port-au-Prince, Haiti Jan. 20 and began receiving injured patients from the local hospitals and international medical facilities currently in Haiti.

The ship deployed from its homeport in Baltimore Jan. 16 with an overall crew of 850 that included a medical team comprised of 550 medical and non-medical support staff, including Navy doctors, nurses, corpsmen, technicians and support staff ready to provide a host of medical services including primary care, trauma care, pediatric care, orthopedic care and more.

The embarked medical support team will be augmented by 350 additional team members who are scheduled to arrive on board the ship in the next few days. With the additional medical staff, the hospital ship will have the capability to increase available beds from its current configuration of 250 — set up during the ship’s transit — to nearly 1,000, including 880 ward beds, 80 intensive care unit beds and 20 post anesthesia care unit beds.

The augmented medical staff will also enable Comfort to expand its operating room capability from 6 to 11. A twelfth operating room is specifically designed to support advanced interventional radiology procedures.

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On Shore Military Assistance
The Marines are working, in force, in and around Leogane, Haiti. With them, and working south from there to Jacmel, are members of the Canadian military. An amphibious landing area has been established and a base is being set up. Aid distributions and medical assistance are also being provided at the same time. Leogane was much closer to the epicenter of the earthquake and did not receive relief supplies and personnel until several days after Port-au-Prince.

U.S. Military Totals in Haiti

Roughly 20,000 U.S. troops will be supporting relief efforts in Haiti by Jan. 24, military officials said, adding to the 13,000-strong American force currently there.

Comprising the force will be the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, the 82nd Airborne Division’s 2nd Brigade and thousands of other troops operating afloat off the Haitian coast and on shore, distributing provisions, assisting in medical operations and helping to maintain security. Some 2,200 Marines of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit are slated to arrive within 48 hours, military officials said.

“The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit is a huge part of enabling us to extend our reach to places around the country that may need our assistance but we just haven’t been there yet,” Army Lt. Gen. P.K. Keen, the top U.S. commander in Haiti, said on The Pentagon Channel today.

82nd Airborne – Paras in the Field

The soldiers handed out twice as much yesterday as they did the day before – more than 15,000 bottles of water and 4,000 meals. But beyond ramping up the amount of water and food they are distributing, the leaders here have begun to look beyond their own perimeter, trying to figure out how to reach out to those who cannot make it to the base.

“We hope to get a good sense of where those people are who can’t get to us,” said Army Lt. Chris Anderson, the squadron’s intelligence officer. “That’s what we really want to get.”

Anderson’s team of intelligence gatherers began interviewing some of those coming through the distribution line yesterday. They want to find the ‘pockets’ of people in the city who need food, water and medical attention most. They also are gathering information on security concerns, possible medical and other resources in the community, and generally any information that will help local commanders paint a broader picture of the relief effort ahead of them.

This will help them determine when, where and how they push their relief efforts out, officials said.

“We have limited resources. We only have so much food, so much water,” Anderson said. “[The commanders must] make those hard decisions of who to give it to and how to get it to them. Every little bit [of intelligence] that we can give him gives him a better picture.”

The squadron’s medical professionals also began yesterday reaching out to those needing care. The handful of combat medics set up a makeshift trauma area and treated more than 50 people, mostly for cuts, bruises and broken bones. None were critically injured.

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Airport Operations
USAID Report on the Haiti Earthquake Response

• The airfield is open for 24/7 operations – 153 flights were expected for today. The U.S. was using 38 of those slots.
  • U.S. Transportation Command reports that since commencing air operations, a total of 136 missions have been flown that have carried more than 2,400 tons of equipment and more than 1,900 passengers into Haiti.
• As of today, there are 20 U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard vessels and 51 helicopters deployed.
• The San Isidro airfield in the Dominican Republic is now open for C-130 operations to assist in the Haiti relief effort.
• Evacuations: The U.S. is conducting evacuations 24 hours a day. 88 American evacuees departed Port-Au-Prince this morning (1/20). On January 19, 1328 were evacuated. To date, more than 6,174 Americans have been evacuated.

USAID report for January 21 (pdf)

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) continues to work to improve logistical and transport capacity to expedite the distribution of emergency relief commodities.

DoD engineers and dive teams with underwater construction capabilities are currently restoring piers, cranes, and buildings, as well as clearing debris, at Port-au-Prince port. DoD estimates that the port will be able to receive 350 containers per day as of January 25, an increase from the present daily capacity of 250 containers.

In addition, DoD teams are working to restore San Isidro airfield in the Dominican Republic, approximately 220 km from Port-au-Prince, to full operational capacity, thus providing an alternative site to Port-au-Prince airport for delivery of emergency relief commodities and emergency medical equipment and personnel for further transport into Haiti.

Marines providing aid to Hatians in Leogane

Approximately 125 Marines from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit came ashore near Leogane, Haiti today beginning relief operations in a pasture that is now being used as a landing zone for helicopters loaded with supplies.

The Marines launched from the USS Bataan aboard CH-53E Super Stallion Helicopters and UH-1N Hueys, aircraft that are part of the MEU’s Aviation Combat Element, Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461 (Reinforced).

The Marines quickly established security in the landing zone which was the home to a handful of emaciated horses, who seemed unaware of the devastation that had occurred only one week before. The first helicopter touched down just before noon and shortly after, relief supplies began flowing. Collapsible water containers and bottled water were the first supplies delivered by the MEU.

“Our efforts have been going very well,” said Capt. James Birchfield, company commander of Lima Company, Battalion Landing Team, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment. “It’s hard work, but the Marines are working quickly to get the supplies to those who need them.”

Over the course of the afternoon, six helicopters delivered pallets of water and food. U.N. Forces picked the supplies up in trucks and distributed them to areas that have had little relief since the quake rocked the country one week ago.

A mother carries her nine-month old son aboard the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) after the child was airlifted to the ship for medical treatment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ryan Steinhour)

For one Marine, the efforts of the Marines were close to home. Cpl. Clifford Sajous is a native of Haiti and has had not had any contact with several of his family members since the earthquake. Despite of this, Sajous focuses on the mission and knows the Marines efforts are well received.

“They’re excited we are here and happy they are going to get some help,” said Sajous. “We’re here, helping people right now and that is something to be proud of.”

The ships of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and embarked elements of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit arrived off the coast of Haiti Monday to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief for earthquake survivors and bolster relief operations already underway in support of Operation Unified Response.

This sea-based force will bring added capabilities to aid the relief efforts without taxing the already strained infrastructure ashore. Comprised of heavy-lift and utility helicopters, trucks and humvees, assault amphibian vehicles, and logistics capabilities to include water purification and limited medical support, the 22nd MEU will further enhance the humanitarian relief efforts ashore.

The 22nd MEU is a multi-mission capable force comprised of Aviation Combat Element, Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461 (Reinforced); Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 22; Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing Team, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment; and its command element.

In addition to Bataan, the Amphibious Relief Mission also includes USS Carter Hall (LSD 50), USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43), USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) and detachments from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 22, Helicopter Mine Countermeasure Squadron (HM) 15, Tactical Air Control Squadron (TACRON) 21, Fleet Surgical Team (FST) 8, Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 4 and Beachmaster Unit (BMU) 2.

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What is the USNS Comfort?

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Hospital ship Comfort receives first Haitian patients unexpectedly

In a life-saving move, a Navy helicopter transported two severely injured Haitians to receive treatment aboard this hospital ship. a 6-year-old boy and 20-year-old man — had received care on the USS Carl Vinson, a U.S. aircraft carrier.

“The senior medical officer sent the patients on to receive care with us,” said Navy Cmdr. (Dr.) Tim Donahue, the Comfort’s chief of surgery. Both were in critical condition.

The 20-year-old patient has a broken skull and possibly a fractured cervical vertebrae. Doctors aboard the Vinson also suspected there might be bleeding inside his skull. The 6-year-old patient has a crushed pelvis and possible damage to his bladder and urethra.

At 10:24 p.m., the call came to casualty receiving: “Helos on deck.” Stretcher bearers removed the patients from the Vinson’s chopper and moved them via elevator to the receiving area.

The patients were met by a phalanx of doctors, nurses and corpsmen and placed in an assessment area. The sailors went about their duties professionally and quietly.

The boy was conscious and able to answer questions. A Haitian-American servicemember – Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Yves Henry – translated the doctor’s questions to the boy and his answers back.

The boy had undergone surgery aboard the Vinson two days before. The medics aboard the Vinson sent him to the Comfort to take advantage of the expertise and equipment aboard the vessel.

The other patient had a tube inserted in his throat and could not speak. Doctors took X-rays of him on the gurney and then moved him to another area to receive a CAT scan.

After the initial rush, Donahue spoke to press who observed the procedure. The chief of surgery was pleased with the performance of the medics. “It’s quiet,” he said. “That means they are talking and communicating well. Everything went very smoothly.”

Navy Cmdr. (Dr.) William Todd, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon, said the 6-year-old could move his hips and did not present symptoms of complications. “He’s a tough little boy,” Todd said. “It’s probably pain from the previous surgery.”

Navy Cmdr. (Dr.) Shawn Safford was the general surgeon who examined the young man. “He was very alert,” he said. “He has a slight fever, but we will treat that. We will watch him for a few days to ensure it is going well.”

The boy knows his father’s cell phone number, but not what happened to him, his mother or his brother. “He was scared and was reaching for my hand,” Safford said. “Just holding a kid’s hand is sometimes the best medicine.”

Both Haitian patients are in the Comfort’s intensive care unit.

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U.S. Coast Guard summary of assistance to Haiti to date

In total, the Coast Guard has medically transported 29 critically injured U.S. Embassy personnel out of Haiti, evacuated approximately 662 American citizens and delivered 512 urban search and rescue team members to Port au Prince. The Coast Guard will continue to support the massive relief effort in Haiti by providing humanitarian assistance to Haitian survivors, evacuating critically injured U.S. personnel and evacuating U.S. citizens from Haiti. The complexities crews face with this massive relief operation are immense due to the magnitude of damage to Haiti’s infrastructure.

For imagery and video of Coast Guard relief efforts in Haiti, please go to the Coast Guard Visual Information website at http://cgvi.uscg.mil/.

Additional Coast Guard assets responding to the area are:

• An HC-144A Ocean Sentry aircraft from Coast Guard Aviation Training Center, Mobile, Ala.

• An HC-130J Hercules fixed-wing aircraft from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C.

• An HC-130 Hercules fixed-wing aircraft from Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento, Calif.

• Two HC-130 Hercules fixed-wing aircraft from Barber’s Point, Hawaii.

• Two MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crews. They are from the Coast Guard HITRON based in Jacksonville, Fla., and Coast Guard Air Station Detroit, Mich.

• Two HU-25 Falcon jet crews from Coast Guard Air Station Miami, Fla.

• The Coast Guard Cutter Valiant, a 210-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Miami, Fla.

• The Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk, a 270-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Key West, Fla.

• The Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma, a 270-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Portsmouth, N.H.

• The Coast Guard Cutter Oak, a 225-foot seagoing buoy tender homeported in Charleston, S.C.

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Summary of Israeli Defense Forces activities in Haiti to date

So far, 383 people have been treated in the hospital, among them dozens of children. 140 life saving operations were executed and seven babies were delivered. As of now, approximately 60 patients are being treated in different departments of the hospital.

Last night, two children who were trapped under the ruins of a building for seven days and then rescued by an American team were brought to the IDF hospital for treatment.

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Guardians Report In: HS1 Larry Berman

Today, day three, was the first day that we got a few people out; I think the count was 10. The primary goal each day has been to treat and evac those needing amputations. My happiest moment came this morning as one man with a left crushed arm, 30 medical staples and sutures to the face, and a scalp wound was evaced to a hospital. The first day, as triage goes, we thought he was near death so we deferred to stronger amputations who were a mess, but much alive. The following day, when we saw that he was still alive, HS2 Gomez and I decided that he would be our priority. That was yesterday. I scrubbed what was his arm with Betadine, tourniqueted the arm and wrapped it in a red contamination bag. HS2 stapled a huge facial wound with the medical staples and sutures. HS2 Elias Gomez was a master, caring for the patient. I cleaned maggots from his scalp wound and sutured that up. We also hit him up with antibiotics. As I said, today he flew to a hospital. That my friends was an outstanding moment for HS2 and myself.

We have treated more patients than we can count, then they go out to sit in the outer court yard.

The scene includes about 30-40 Coast Guardsmen and about 20 Haitian volunteers with various experience. A couple of Haitian nurses and doctors have joined us, but the leadership of the clinic has been HS2 and myself. I believe that the Haitians have recognized the discipline and order that the Tahoma and Mohawk have demonstrated. OS1 Sweetman, YN1 Winslow and ETC Frownfelter have lead the security for the compound. They keep order. The Mohawk has taken leadership over the supply room. I wish that I could tell you their names, but there is one Chief that has done a great job with the stock room.

Both Mohawk and Tahoma crewmen are willing to do anything. I have seen our Engineering Officer LT Sanzo out in the courtyard bandaging people. I saw our Executive Officer LCDR Fisher hold the hand of a little girl while her wounds were being painfully scrubbed. I was able to come and administer a small amount of morphine to the little girl which made the XO’s job easier.

Today was the first day also that the decision was made to use morphine. The compound fractures and skin ripped off some of their bodies warranted it as we had to clean the infected wounds. Morphine is mercy.

For the past 3 days, Tahoma and Mohawk have had to make hundreds of decisions on how to help these people. We are all exhausted. We are all running on adrenalin. We are working in the heat, sweating. No one goes to the bathroom until be get back to the ship from 0830 to 1715 Hrs. Both Gomez and I have been ordered to take breaks. It is non-stop. Today, I had to ask what day it was. I had no idea. Thank God we are starting to get a few people out. Tomorrow we hope to get at least 12 of the worst out.