The Icelandic International Search and Rescue Team has started work in Haiti. Two teams are searching the rubble of the four-storey Caribbean Market shopping centre in Port au Prince, and have already pulled two people out alive. At least one more is thought to remain alive inside.
According to Iceland Search and Rescue, members of the team are also working to erect a temporary camp within the airport perimeter. The Icelanders are working hand-in-hand with Belgian colleagues.
A shortage of timber, gas, oxygen and fuel has hampered progress; but supplies are said to be arriving.
So far only teams from the USA, Belgium and China are on the ground working in addition to the Icelandic (and local Haitian) rescue workers.
In other news, the Icelandic Red Cross has collected over ISK 9 million for Haiti in just 24 hours. If you are in Iceland or have and Icelandic bank account, you can support the Red Cross Haiti campaign by calling 904 1500 or pay direct into bank account 0342-26-12, with kennitala 530269-2649.
Photo:Valgarður Gíslason/Fréttablaðið
Haiti: Well done, Iceland!
Peter Bjerrum
Ribe – DK
Love you Icelanders! You are a bunch of heroes!
Bravo and God bless you!
philip in U. S. A.
I am very grateful for the great work that this team is doing in Haiti and for their positive outlook. If the team needs lodging in Haiti, I can provide them with some accomodations.
Im proud to be Icelandic.
They got the third out, and in good condition.
The Icelandair jet is landing in Keflavik at 5.00
with 6 Germans 1 French and 1 Brit, 50 Americans and some Canadians stayed in the Bahamas where the pilots landed for fuel and to get some rest, all ligts are out in Port-au-prince, so the US navy set up a temporary landing strip lights so they could take off.
Amazing that such a small nation and one in such financial hardship can be one of the first on scene to help the citizens of another nation.
Congrats Iceland!
Very fast response, got there before the logjam at the airport! Good job Iceland.
Love my Icelandic people and love to help, god bless Haiti, whish I were there so I could do some help,,,,,
well done is right just saw on tv here in xanada that they have also got out a woman who was tripped for 50 hours.
Thanx Icelanders! God Bless you. From LA California by way of Ghana
Thanks Icelanders! I have been to Iceland and I deeply relate to your nation and now I must extend my gratitude to you for your help to the nation of Haiti. You are unique and you are great.
much love!!!!
That’s Icelandic pride!
Great country, great people. No matter what IMF guys say….
Better to have 100 defaulted Icelands than any other “zero debt country”.
Luca
This Icelandic international rescue squad is highly trained in these kind of rescue activities and has been certified by INSARAG. Its members are selected from various local volunteer rescue squads in Iceland.
Due to their international focus, they were extremely well prepared, storing all their equipment at the Keflavik airport. They were therefore able to leave immediately on Wednesday morning, after quickly receiving authorization from the Haiti government, and locating a plane from Icelandair.
They carried with them enough supplies to last for at least a week, so they are not dependent on anyone else, and can therefore concentrate most of their efforts on actual rescues and assisting other rescue squads.
Here is a picture album that shows how primitive the situation was at the Port-au-Prince airport, when the rescue squad arrived in Haiti on Wednesday:
http://www.visir.is/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=XZ&Dato=20100114&Kategori=FRETTIR01&Lopenr=17954851&Ref=PH
And here is an interview with one of the rescue squad member on CNN:
http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2010/01/14/tuchman.haiti.quake.search.cnn
Way to go Iceland! You do humanity proud! Annie in Ann Arbor
Congratulations to the rescue team from Iceland for being so responsive!
Despite the economic problems facing all of us it is gratifying to know that the humanitarian spirit rises to the top. All too often the efforts of the smaller nations are overlooked in the presence of much larger countries. You can be very proud.
Don Larsen
Calgary, Canada
Here is one more video on the rescue squad in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBxj1t1FnRw&feature=featured
That’s Icelandic Viking can-do attitude. Thank you team.
Iceland rocks! wish i could be in haiti with you!
It was amazing how the world helped when Haiti got struck by that earthquake. Looking back to those days brings back bittersweet memories.