American Red Cross Central Iowa

Central Iowa Chapter Volunteers Help in North Dakota

2010-03-17T11:38:00.000-07:00

Dellaine and Tony Spencer, American Red Cross volunteers from the Central Iowa Chapter in Des Moines, IA were deployed to Fargo, ND. on March 17th. This is the couple’s first deployment. In fact, they were certified in CPR and First Aid, just last Friday.

Dellaine stated, “We’re surprised that we got called so soon. We have some first time jitters, but we’re excited to go.”

Tony added that he believes their job will be to provide food and drink to evacuees as well as those who are sandbagging.

In addition to providing food and clean up supplies, Dellaine believes it important that they let families know where they may find Red Cross shelter.

Tony and Dellaine will join the local Red Cross chapters as well as other deployed Red Cross disaster workers in North Dakota.

Sign off from Haiti - Mark Million

2010-02-16T07:29:00.001-08:00

Haiti - my last day, and last thoughts. We are leaving a good base camp setup and radio network, but there is so much to be done. The second rotation of Danish, Spanish and American Red Cross delegates will concentrate on longer-term planning to prepare for hurricane season .. the fear being that the barely passable sanitation present now will collapse and lead to rampant disease. Nightly rains have already started, and the wet and malaria season is soon to follow.
But we're leaving behind a good start and a good team - they will work closely with the Haitian RC to train and prepare the local society for the future. With hard work and a bit of luck, they'll keep the relief efforts going despite the new obstacles.

From Mark Million, ARC IT-Telecom Delegate to the Federation - good bye from Haiti.

Last Day for Mark

2010-02-12T08:25:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is my last full day in Haiti, due to rotate home over the weekend.

The second IT-Telecom unit will arrive Friday, a smaller group that will keep supporting the infrastructure that we've established.

Today I 'loaned' myself out to the Benelux relief team for a distribution run ... we went to the village of Picay and handed out 410 family relief packages. It all went smoothly thanks to the help the Haitian Red Cross gave us in securing the area. Volunteers loaded up wheelbarrows with supplies and took them up the road to where clients received them for home use.

I'm definitely looking forward to reaching home again, but have the sad feeling that I'm leaving while there is still so much to do. Haiti is not a week-long or a month-long effort ... we're looking at years in the rebuilding process, and at least one year of Federation Red Cross involvement here at base camp. And that assumes no hurricanes hit this season ... everyone, please keep your fingers crossed on this account. Haiti is in no way ready to handle even a small additional disaster.

May post one final entry tomorrow, but if not ... take care, and be prepared. It CAN happen where you live.

Mark in Haiti

2010-02-10T07:10:00.000-08:00

Today was a very hot day at base camp; I spent thrity minutes doing a Wifi survey of the newly graded area where new tent offices will be going in and honestly had a hard time seeing with all the sweat in my eyes. Imagine having to spend day and night and day again in that with the reamins of your house just a few feet away ... that's the reality for many here in Port au Prince.

I can't say enought about the Federation delegates, volunteers and local Red Cross staff here - they continue to work in harsh conditions often until 9:00 at night - many have rotated out after three weeks, many more will do so this week (Roger and I will leave Saturday, replaced by one American Delegate). This site will be here at least a year, and the Federation of Red Cross Societies will slowly hand over of most of the projects to our Haitian Red Cross friends .. .but the lasting impression we've made here (and continue to make) has made a difference in so many lives. It's why Red Crossers do what we do ... even in the heat.

Mark in Haiti

2010-02-06T09:22:00.000-08:00

Today we installed five mobile radios and did a lot of changing on the computer network. Tomorrow we get a local vendor to install high-speed internet, which should help a lot.

The base camp routine is pretty well set now .. you wake at about 5:30 and take a nice cold shower in the big water tent. You brush your teeth at the 'drinkable water' trough, and walk over very large gravel to get back to your tents. Then it's breakfast with the Danes followed by a TL (team leader) meeting at 7:30, then into the office to work. Around 6:30 it's supper, and then back to the office until 9:00. Then bed (and sometimes another cold shower). Usually every other day we head otu on an assignment, usually to a hospital or other NGO (non-governmental organization) that we are helping with IT needs. On the way we still see some of the devastation in Port au Prince, as in this photo.

Mark

Mark in Haiti

2010-02-06T09:20:00.000-08:00

A very full day today in Port au Prince ... traveled to the ICRC compound with a Danish staffer to install mobile VHF radios in cars. Plan was to finish four of them; unfortunately programming errors and the need to remove seats to complete the installation left us barely able to finish two before leaving (can't break the 6:00 curfew). We'll be back tomorrow to finish up.

Back home at the tent city we call home, things roll on ... what we miss the most are the tiny things - like ice for drinks, toilets that aren't about one hundred degrees in the sun, sleep not interrupted by the whistles of the security staff checking in with each other. Despite the excellent cooking of the Danish kitchen crew, you do often find your self wishing there was a McDonalds around the corner.

Mark

Another Post from Haiti

2010-02-01T10:53:00.000-08:00

Today was a fairly easy day for IT-Telecom here at base camp ... the network is pretty stable and our living arangements are getting better. We are now being fed three meals a day thanks to the Italian kitchen crew, and toliets and washing stations are now set up.

One of the hardest things to adjust to is the language barrier. The majority of Haitians speak French, with a smattering of Spanish and rarer English. One trip to a cell phone store to pick up three hundred donated cell phones had me telling my Spanish co-worker to ask the Haitian bilingual volunteer to tell the French -speaking driver where to take us. It makes many things extra complicated.

The other thing is ... cold drinks. I haven't seen ice in over two weeks and the thought of a fountain drink from a local conveinence store is just maddening at times.

Mark Million

Mark Million #4

2010-01-28T16:39:00.001-08:00

We moved the entire base camp today ... over 200 people, all their possessions, and the tech and logistics supplies necessary to run the Headquarters. We're in a compound next to the airport, so most of the night we have heavy lift caro planes taking off (and all day of course). No one minds, we finally get to sleep on cots instead of the ground.

Did a quick trip to the local hospital this afternoon to reprogram two ambulance mobile VHF radios - on the way saw more of the devastation the quake has caused. What strikes me most these days is the immense amount of rock and concrete that needs to be removed before any rebuilding can begin.

Mark Million

Mark Million Post #3

2010-01-28T07:39:00.000-08:00

We've helped over twenty-eight thousand families as of this morning .. .a good start, but there is so much more need. The generosity of others has been staggering but the logistics of getting relief aide into the country are simply mind-boggling.

As for us delegates, another few days in tentville ... but by tomorrow we should be moving to our new base camp, a joint project of the Danish and Italian crews. That will do wonders or the morale of the Federation delegates and other volunteers involved with the relief effort.

Life continues to return to some sense of normalcy, despite minor aftershocks ... vendors are selling food on the streets, and basic commerce is starting up again, despite a critical shortage of food.

Mark Million

See Article about Mark Leaving for Haiti on the Ames Tribune Website:
http://amestrib.com/articles/2010/01/27/adel_news/news/dcn_news/doc4b588130db7a3771790869.txt

Mark Million in Haiti

2010-01-26T08:06:00.000-08:00

Last night the IT-Telcom ERUs* (Spanish and Danish-American) had an early supper and went back to the parking lot, installing VHF mobile base stations in twelve vehicles being used on the Haiti operation. A very, very late night (11:00) but worth it to get the teams communicating back to base camp.
Today ... we set up the VSAT-wireless network at the new base camp site near the airport. Hopefully, we'll move all 200+ delegates there in the next few days.

Our first day without feeling any aftershocks.

Mark Million

*ERU=Emergency Response Unit
[Picture of Mark Million from the Central Iowa Chapter]

Mark Million in Haiti - ARC

2010-01-25T13:41:00.000-08:00

Food is mostly what we brought ... Federation delegates are supposed to be self-sustaining for three weeks, and in this case they meant it. Heater meals and energy bars so far, although the last two days they've brought in a lunch for us. Water is provided by a reverse osmosis purifier. The building we're currently in is sound, basically it was chosen as a warehouse site and we're just using it temporarily until we can move the new site, which is the frame of a Hilton hotel that was poured (concrete) but never finished. It has hole for windows, a pool that was never filled/plumbed, etc. - should be a big step up from where we are now.

Radio is accessable; I think they plan on a television at the base camp.

Ever function (relief, Watsan, IT-Telecom, etc.) is represented here. Actually there are only two available ERU's left on the planet, every other available one is either here or on the way.
I'm constantly working with Haitian Red Cross staff, in fact just left a joint meeting between myself, the Spanish IT-Telecom team leader and the IT representative of the Haitian Red Cross (nice gentleman named Richard Simone). They are actually working their office from our base camp, as their office was critically damaged. (See attached photo).

Mark Million

ARC Mark Million in Haiti

2010-01-25T13:36:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note .. the IT-Telecom team here is very very busy installing radio base stations and supporting computer operations in Port au Prince, Haiti. I am working with Danish, Spanish and American delegates in this group, and with delegates from dozens of countries in the other operation functions. We currently are in a logistics-style warehouse, with our tents in the 'courtyard' area. About 300 people each day share two toilets and four showers, which until today consisted of closed-off areas where you poured a bucket of water over your head to clean up. The operation is going to expand greatly soon, so the Dane and Italian ERUs are bringing in two 'bases' ... complex combinations of tents, kitchens, laundries and the like that will greatly improve the living conditions for those working here.
Haven't had much time to take pics, but here is one of a local school.

Mark Million