For the last 4 days we have traveled all over Port of Prince. The city is built on the mountain side with the rich living higher up the mountain, having a better view of the port and less of a chance to run into the common man or street gangs.This earthquake destroyed mostly multi-story buildings. What we have seen are buildings that look mostly normal till you realize that the first floor is really the second or third floor with the lower floors having been totally destroyed. The hospitals desperately need post-op and recovery wards.
Even the US Naval Hospital ship has run out of ward space and is air flighting patients off the ship to any available beds ashore. Presently there is the hospital ship US Comfort, aircraft carrier CVN Carl Vinson, LPD Guston Hall in the harbors.
I know this won't surprise most of you but the UN is less than useless here. They hold lots of meetings but they haven't made any efforts to actually coordinate the efforts of the 600+ NGOs working here.
Our team have been distributing medicine to other hospitals from the Promess warehouse near the UN base. The base has hundreds of SUV's just parked at the base and not being used to distribute supplies.
The sky is filled with military aircraft such as C-130s, C-17's, Cods, Black Hawks, Sea Kings, Sea Stallions and the new Ospreys bringing patients and emergency supplies being rushed from the ships and the US.
If it wasn't such a horrible disaster I would enjoy being here. There are several of my Coast Guard classmates attempting to lead the efforts to open the harbor to allow the large supply vessels they desperately need.
But with the level of destruction and death here its difficult to stop and take any moment of self pleasure. I am just greatful to have a chance to help here.
Mark -Out
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