Texas team preparing for Haiti mission told to stand down

[carpro]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/6821324.html

Texas team preparing for Haiti mission told to stand down
By DALE LEZON HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Jan. 18, 2010, 7:37AM

(Entire Article)

A Texas search and rescue team and other similar units mobilized to help earthquake victims in Haiti have been told they are not needed.

Members of Texas Task Force 1 have been on standby in Houston since Thursday to head to the devastated island nation.

But the United Nations mission in the country has declared the search and rescue teams already in the nation are sufficient to handle to the task and the Texas team and others prepared to deploy would not be needed.

The Texas unit, which has been on standby at Ellington Field in southeast Houston, was made up of 80 members including doctors and engineers. Four dogs were also part of the team.

 

[carpro]

Makes one wonder what is really going on...doesn't it?

 

[windcatcher]

Makes one wonder what is really going on...doesn't it?

Yeap!........One can wonder!



Kinda like the ole' joke..... how many aliens does it take to change a light bulb....

One to hold the bulb and 4 to turn the ladder.

With the enormous job of search and rescue... which was most critical during the first 48 hours.... But the Haitians were complaining 4 days after the earthquake 'where's the help promised?

But........... dang it all........ if help couldn't get there sooner the MSM had no trouble. Imagine being people in misery and suffering and camera folks, foreign strangers, scavenging through the countryside with camera, mikes, bottle water, bagged lunches, and clean clothes and recent baths.

 

[Revmitchell]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/6821324.html

Texas team preparing for Haiti mission told to stand down
By DALE LEZON HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Jan. 18, 2010, 7:37AM

(Entire Article)

A Texas search and rescue team and other similar units mobilized to help earthquake victims in Haiti have been told they are not needed.

Members of Texas Task Force 1 have been on standby in Houston since Thursday to head to the devastated island nation.

But the United Nations mission in the country has declared the search and rescue teams already in the nation are sufficient to handle to the task and the Texas team and others prepared to deploy would not be needed.

The Texas unit, which has been on standby at Ellington Field in southeast Houston, was made up of 80 members including doctors and engineers. Four dogs were also part of the team.

This makes no sense.

 

[Steven2006]

The only thing that would make sense is that they know that at this point it is to late. At some point there aren't going to be survivors left alive to search for. Maybe by the time this team would arrive and get set up to search that point in time will have been thought to be reached.

 

[windcatcher]

The only thing that would make sense is that they know that at this point it is to late. At some point there aren't going to be survivors left alive to search for. Maybe by the time this team would arrive and get set up to search that point in time will have been thought to be reached.

Even then, there's the need to find the bodies, identify where possible for their next of kin, and proper burial to reduce the liklihood of disease outbreak and animals from scavenging.

 

[Steven2006]

That is true, maybe they have enough for that already where this team might specialize in finding only survivors.

I don't know, just speculating on a reason that would make sense.

 

[rbell]

I'm just thinking this is one of the by-products of anarchy.

Who knows who actually decided they shouldn't go? It's not like there's anyone in charge.

Thus, we have chaos, and inevitably nonsense "orders" that are given.

Having said that...since it's the UN that may have given the order...and since they are so anti-American...for all we know, they may have declined them from coming simply because they're from the US.

Or Texas...yeah, that's it. They are from Bush's state.

(silly, I know...but we are talking the UN here)

 

[Robert Snow]

Makes one wonder what is really going on...doesn't it?

Just more proof that the government in Haiti is totally inept. They should welcome all the help they can get. Who knows whether or not, with more rescue teams, some who will die might be saved!

 

[Steven2006]

Just more proof that the government in Haiti is totally inept. They should welcome all the help they can get. Who knows whether or not, with more rescue teams, some who will die might be saved!

Did the Haitian government make this decision?

On a side not, now that they have just had another (6.1) quake, I bet whomever did make that decision might be regretting it.

 

[DisasterMgmt]

Even then, there's the need to find the bodies, identify where possible for their next of kin, and proper burial to reduce the liklihood of disease outbreak and animals from scavenging.

There is the need, and that is why DMORT (Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team) personnel have been deployed. Regarding USAR, the Unified Command Group on the ground in Haiti will know the requirements of the mission and the resources they currently have. According to the White House:

"There are currently six US USAR teams operating in Haiti along with 21 international USAR teams from around the world. US teams are based out of Fairfax VA, Los Angeles CA, Miami FL (two teams), New York NY and Virginia Beach VA. Each USAR team includes approximately 70 team members."

 

[carpro]

Did the Haitian government make this decision?

On a side not, now that they have just had another (6.1) quake, I bet whomever did make that decision might be regretting it.

According to the OP, the decision was based on a statement by the U.N. that they weren't needed.

They pulled two kids from the rubble today. There may be others waiting for the help the U.N. said wasn't needed.

Tere were also doctors on the grounded team. I guess they have enough of those as well.