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Lionheart
January 20th, 2010, 06:49
I was watching CNN last night while on KP duty, pealing potatoes.

A CNN reporter that goes to foreign countries to help people (medic) when such catastrophies happen, was doing a little story last night. The first, and only country that showed up within 48 hours of the Earthquake in Haiti was Israel. They sent over two 747's, loaded with personnel and supplies, tents, medical equipment, you name it. It was like a small invasion force.

She went through their camp, showing us things, interviewing their team, showing their high tech equipment setup for such a catastrophie.

They had full field X-ray machines, they would immediately photograph people for recognition for others to be able to find their loved ones. They had tents everywhere. I want to say it was Israel's military as they were all in green uniforms, but I think they have a ton of auxiliary people that activate or volunteer. (In Israel, everyone serves in the military for at least a short period of time so that anyone can help protect their country).

It was many days before any of the rest of the countries had a large place of operation landed there. Israel was the first and was already running people through their base of operations, setting broken bones, helping them to be found be loved ones.

I thought that was pretty darn cool. I salute them. Not many countries are setup for something this devastating. To see that they were so organized was impressive...

I salute Israel... :salute:


Bill

Craig Taylor
January 20th, 2010, 07:13
Hey Bill,

My wife saw the same piece (or one very similar) on NBC's Evening News last night and was telling me about it. She was very impressed - and that's not easy!

I'd like to think that we have that capability as well (having seen some of it in my day) but unfortunately we're stretched pretty thin these days with the GWOT.

Anyway, kudos to the Isrealis (all politics aside...) :applause:

Lionheart
January 20th, 2010, 07:18
Hey Bill,

My wife saw the same piece (or one very similar) on NBC's Evening News last night and was telling me about it. She was very impressed - and that's not easy!

I'd like to think that we have that capability as well (having seen some of it in my day) but unfortunately we're stretched pretty thin these days with the GWOT.

Anyway, kudos to the Isrealis (all politics aside...) :applause:


Hey Craig,

Yes, thats very true. We are stretched pretty thin. If we didnt have things going on in Iraq and Afganistan, I am certain we would have had a better response action.

I am glad that someone was there quickly and extremely organized. It was almost like they were so prepared that they were waiting for it.



Bill

Daveroo
January 20th, 2010, 07:21
yet there were three C17s sitting at travis afb starting within hours(they had to drive from sac to travis) of the first earthquake loaded with USRA teams from the sacramanto area..they are on constant alert and are ready to go in minutes...but the USA governemt did not allow them to go..there were many excuses..like the FAA closed airspace..why is the haiti airspace FAA? FEMA stalled them due to "over crowding" on the ground in Haiti and many other excuses..yet they held them on base for two days, then in a hotel for another three...and now people are complaining that people werent ready to go..they were more than ready..our government heads fell apart once again and let redtape and useless stupid things ( i dont mean the airport situation) keep rescuers from going...now they have looters shooting people......

Dain Arns
January 20th, 2010, 08:01
Venezuela was actually there first with aid if CNN wants to play that game. But I gave up on CNN a long time ago anyway. :icon_lol:
Anyway, it don't matter in the end....

High tech is great for incidents with manageable amounts of casualties.
But 200,000 dead according to the latest estimates. You do what you can.
I'm not knocking Israel's help here, BTW. Any aid is a blessing for the Haitians.

Hands helping remove debris, tending to the sick and injured, handing out relief supplies, burying the dead.
That's the most important aid in this overwhelming devastation.
I salute anyone, no matter what country they come from, that cares enough to risk their lives to go into a still active earthquake area, and help out in such a dangerous place. :salute: