Haiti a time line of a disaster

[nadinbrzezinski]

Ok folks, for those who do not understand this... if you cannot give money right now... that is fine. Hold off.

0-72 hours... critical time for search and recovery of people in the rubble, and otherwise injured.

72 hours -week, window for that critical recovery phase is mostly over... things like cholera, water issues and food, shelter show up. As well as first psychiatric cases.

This is usually the point that news media cuts coverage, and now the real fun starts.

week =-three months, early phase for critical infrastructure rebuilding, or set up. These include things like police, fire and hospitals, as well as safe water sources. The usual sources will be polluted. This is also the point where tent cities, that should rise within days, should start to go away as houses are rebuilt... OH and realize Haiti is starting from oh zero for all intents and purposes. They were close to zero already.

Three months to six months... you need to take into account that is the time frame for the rains to come and the hurricanes... this phase in the recovery usually means things like schools, more houses and other infrastructure. And desperate people usually show their anger at this point...

Six months to two years... you still need a lot of recovery to do.

Hell for an idea, there are buildings still in Mexico City from the Quake in '85 that have not been torn down. They were condemned due to the damage... and yes that is less than one percent of one percent wost case.

What I am trying to say is, if you cannot give money NOW... trust me, they will need money in six months

Oh and if you have extra... consider making a donation to UNICEF for the Katrina children. Yes, they are still working in NOLA...


Oh and this is a very short hand of quite frankly any disaster, don't care where.

[tblue]

1. Good point! Thank you.

After it falls off the headlines, that's when we have to work to keep the need visible.

I can't believe the children of Katrina have to depend on UNICEF! WTF? Those are Americans! They are OUR children! Should they really have to turn to the United freaking Nations? That's so sad it's ridiculous.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. UNICEF has been there from word go

they have been giving kids mostly school supplies and believe it or not, mental health screenings.

And I am not shocked or surprised, or for that matter angry that they are there.

[tblue]

6. Happy for you.

I'm glad somebody's there.

[cali]

3. thanks.

important point that donations will be needed weeks and months from now.

[slackmaster]

4. Interesting and helpful but I think it understates the effects of desperation and anger

There is bound to be lawlessness and quite a bit of violent crime as people struggle to get what they can.

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. Why do you think a brigade has been put on Alert

out of Ft. Bragg?

The country does not have the capacity to police itself right now.