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Emergency Plans Needed

January 20, 2010 15:01

It's at times like these that Canadians truly show what their made of. Locally, we are no exception. Area schools and service clubs are racing to do what they can to reach out to the people of earthquake ravaged Haiti - from the Rotary Clubs putting together survival bins filled with basic equipment for shelter and everyday living, to local schools raising funds to send to organizations providing disaster relief such at the Red Cross and others.

In fact, all around the world, people are showing one of the greatest outpouring of support ever witnessed in such a disaster. It's small wonder as the images coming out the country are slapping us all across the face with the stark reality of the horrors the Haitian people face and the bleak outlook for them in the days ahead.

The problem is not so much the goods and funds that are being donated, it's getting them to the streets of Haiti and the people who need them most.

Perhaps now is not the time for prognostication, it might be too soon, but when all of this is over and we have done what we can for the Haitians we would do well to note the problems that have been experience with the delivery of aid relief.

It's of the utmost importance, particularly for Third World nations, that disaster relief emergency plans are formulated and ready to be put into action at a moment's notice. These could be funded by the United Nations and carried out by organizations such as the Red Cross.

Lifesaving water and food don't do surivor's of a disaster of this type much good when they're sitting on a tarmac.

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