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First Responders Prepare for Tropical Storm Isaac in Haiti
The American Red Cross and Food for the Poor are among the organizations responding
Friday, Aug 24, 2012 | Updated 8:19 PM EDT
South Florida is already helping Haiti as Tropical Storm Isaac edges closer to the nation that is still recovering from a devastating 2010 earthquake. Angel Aloma of the international relief and development organization said he has sent containers to the areas most likely to be hit.
As Tropical Storm Isaac nears Haiti, first responders are getting ready. Here are some of the organizations that are preparing for Isaac’s imminent arrival in Haiti, where about 400,000 people still live in camps following the country’s January 2010 earthquake.
The Haitian government
It has buses and 32 boats on standby for evacuations and has set aside about $50,000 in emergency funds, The Associated Press reported. Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe urged residents to avoid crossing rivers, to tape windows, and to stay calm.
Authorities and aid workers from the International Organization for Migration and the Haitian Red Cross sought to evacuate as many as 8,000 people from a camp at the edge of Port-au-Prince Friday morning, but no one took up the offer, according to the AP.
American Red Cross
The Red Cross says that it has 150 community disaster response teams preparing for the storm in 55 camps around Port-au-Prince alone. The organization’s programs are targeting vulnerable people and instructing them on first aid, first response, preventing cholera, and dealing with flooding, the Red Cross says on its website. Its network has “emergency response teams” ready to distribute hygiene kits, blankets and other prepositioned emergency supplies to up to 25,000 families.
World Vision
The organization is prepositioning emergency supplies such as sanitation kits. World Vision emergency response manager Chris Palusky told The Weather Channel that people in Port-au-Prince are very aware of the threat from the storm from the news and cell phone messages. On Friday the streets are empty as people stay home and prepare for the storm, he said.
Food for the Poor
The Coconut Creek-based international relief and development organization says it has sent provisions to 24 distribution centers in Haiti before the storm arrives, and staff members are on alert there to monitor developments. Meantime, Food for the Poor has more supplies ready at its Coconut Creek warehouse. It asks people to make donations to cover the cost of shipping and help provide immediate relief to Haitians here.
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