Posted on 01/16/2010 6:06:39 AM PST by kristinn
ABOARD THE USS CARL VINSON — Helicopters sit ready to go from this US aircraft carrier off Haiti, but there's a problem: after a day of frantic aid runs there is simply nothing left to deliver.
Aboard the warship some 3,500 US military personnel have been coordinating the flights of 19 US helicopters carrying aid since early morning.
SNIP
In less than 12 hours, helicopters from the USS Carl Vinson made some 20 trips to scout the ravaged landscape and deliver items that were originally intended for the ship's crew.
Among the supplies dropped off were thousands of bottles of water and energy drinks, 8,000 sheets and hundreds of camp beds.
Dozens of hospital beds have been arranged on board the ship to accomadate those injured in the quake, including a US citizen evacuated from the US embassy in Port-au-Prince.
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The relief work also faces logistical and coordination challenges, according to Rear Admiral Ted Branch, the most senior military official aboard the USS Carl Vinson.
"We have lift, we have communications, we have some command and control, but we don't have much relief supplies to offer," said Branch, who commands the battle group led by the nuclear-powered Carl Vinson.
"We have no supplies at the airport that we have access to. There are other supplies there that are under the control of other agencies, other organizations and we haven't yet coordinated together to make those supplies available for anyone to deliver," he added.
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The commander noted that some supplies remain at the airport, and could easily be delivered by US helicopters.
"The problem is, some people are perhaps not ready to release their stuff to the most efficient transportation makers and want to deliver supplies themselves."
(Excerpt) Read more at google.com ...
Second, these ships are designed for mid-ocean resupply from US Navy cargo shipping. With Haiti's port out of commission, this makes the Vinson the singular resource for 'heavy supply' while the port gets reconstructed (Sea Bees / Construction Battalion are probably already working there). I would be totally surprised if multiple USN provision ships were not being supplied to shuttle to the Vinson as rapidly as possible.
I’m curious as to why a C-5A couldn’t be turned into a huge flying fully-equpped hospital. Just wondering.
Our magnificent military - ready, willing, and able ... and thwarted by ngo’s and go’s.
I don’t claim to be a genius in these matters, but I do have some ‘common sense’ ideas I’d like to offer. I’m sure my fellow Freepers will point out where I’m wrong, and I have no problem with that. That’s why I come here - for intelligent debate.
I think we should set up “tent cities” and move the survivors to an area that is “protectable”.
It would make distribution of supplies work better, and keep roving gangs from taking complete control.
Certainly not. Well, other than the fact that the more that die, the less that need care.
But the sheer magnitude of the casualties should motivate those NGO's who are withholding supplies to come together with a plan, and then act quickly and decisively.
That makes sense. The city should be evacuated for security and disease prevention. Emergency workers only in there.
yes.
..but will the presstitutes make this Obama’s Katrina? Bashing him likke they did G.W.?
That is precisely why they are able to respond more quickly than civilian agencies.
Slick just needs a break from “changin his luck” with those Hateee girls.
could well happen ... what we ought to do is to air drop food/water supplies on a wide perimter around the outskirts of port au prince causing the mobs to spread out and get away from the airport.
Well, then send in some Seebees and US Army COE's and build another airfield. It can't be that hard to do...
Everyone needs to be given a landing slot hours in advance and if you miss it, you go home.
Odd that you post this when up the thread there is a comment which recounts Bush’s response to the tsunami. It is my clear memory that the Euroweenies criticized US forces for responding so rapdly. You may be referring to the Big Lie that Bush responded poorly to Katririna. I like to repeat the overlooked non-propaganda fact that the US Coast Guard saved 30000 Americans. So what if the FEMa trailers were twenty hours late?
Your idea has more merit than most I've seen. It's beginning to appear that we can't get enough security in place to stop the gangsterism fast enough to get the food, water, and basic necessities to the needy.
Better to inundate the countryside outside of Port-Au-Prince with airdropped supplies. Let the gangs take what they want. The concept is to drop so much that the needy get what they need, despite the gangs.
Great idea, TRG.
Great idea - I’ll get right on it :) Really there seems to be quite a bit of diplomatic crap involved with a number of planes - they seem to have their own way - they wanna land, you try to stop them for what ever reason: result = major incident.
Thunder90
Earlier post seems to say Seabees are already at work. Don’t know how long it will take, but the port is not likely to be operational for some time. When it is open enough to get the heavy equipment needed right now, it will be too late for what they are needed for at the moment - like moving rubble etc to find those still living.
Sad all around, but looks like we’ll have a new crop of Haitian votes for the next 18 months, as current Haitian illegals are being given all the perks of citizenship - including drivers licences, which will no doubt be use to vote for Dems in the next election.
They are surrounded by the ocean for goodness sake. Don’t they know how to fish?
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