Kits for Rescue Operations

The possibility of a friend (MD type) going to Hati brought a question to me, which I answered to him, but I thought it would be good to get others ideas.

What would you carry for a personal kit (not the equipment you bring to help others) if you were going to Hati to help in the current crisis? Another way of looking at it (to shorten the lists) is what would you add or subtract from Doug's standard kits for this situation

I will post a more complete list of my kits over the next couple of days when I have time, but here is the basis -

The EDC items that I would carry if I were going to a wilderness area (PLB, etc.)

An enhanced pocket survival kit to be worn at ALL times, carried in a small fanny pack.

A Primary survival kit for the climate, in a small ruck that I keep in reach at all times.

My basic personal supplies for the event (clothing, sleeping gear, rations, etc.) that stays where I am supposed to be able to rest.

Thanks,

Jerry

Here is the USAR list of personal equipment, a number of items are for cold weather and can be adjusted downward. The individual must be part of some operations group having some type of self-sustaining infrastructure for food, water, hygiene and rehab otherwise they will simply compound the problem.

Boots, Safety, black, Gore-Tex, ANSI/OSHA or NFPA compliant
Flashlight, battery, intrinsically safe, UL rated, w/ four spare
Hearing protection ear plugs, must meet ANSI S3.19-1974
Helmet, rescue-type, low profile, ANSI/OSHA
Helmet light, Intrinsically safe (with 2 spare bulbs
Knife, combination, folding (Leatherman-type or equivalent)
Leather work gloves, ANSI/OSHA Compliant
Lip balm, SPF 15 min
Rain gear
Safety glasses with keepers, shatter proof, with side shields, must meet ANSI Z87.1-1989 and NFPA standards
Uniform, Pants and Overshirt or Blouse, BDU Style, Navy Blue, 100% Cotton
Uniform, Jumpsuit, or two piece, Nomex IIIA
Uniform jacket, with liner M-65 or equivalent, Navy
Wool cap
Bandannas
Pack, Field, personal, system (hydration bladder optional)
Bag(s), Gear, personal equipment
Gloves, Gore-Tex/thinsulate, ski-type
Shorts, uniform, BDU Style, Navy Blue, 100 % Cotton
Heavy sweater, or equivalent, Navy Blue
Cold weather system, including jacket, pants, fleece or fiberpile liners, socks, gator, knit cap, neoprene mask, expedition long underwear,
Long underwear, medium weight
Socks, Boot
Toiletry kit, including all personal hygiene items, such as Chap Stick soap, lotion
Respirator, halfface, cartridge type, with cartridges
Pouch, Personal tool with assorted tools (ie. Screwdriver, crescent
wrench, tin snips and utility knife)
Field Operations Guide, FEMA, US&R
Hood, fire retardent

Pete has a good list. I'm not a professional like him and I find myself waffling when thinking about this question. Could you describe your friend's situation a bit more? Because I think it gives us an idea of how much "professional" support and gear he might already have available. A few church members who are doctors, hopping on a plane to the DR then driving over the border to Port Au Prince is a much different situation than a doctor going as part of a established rescue/aid group.

By the way, anyone know the mosquito situation in Haiti? It's pretty hot there, so I would imagine that there are a lot of them buzzing around.

I wish your friend all the best. Let us know if he really does head out.

maybe a hard hat for working in demolished urban areas?
A white hat with the red cross would help identify him as a medical professional.

Each persons PSK and FAK needs are different but for this trip I would ensure that they included:
-leather glove work gloves for moving debris
-a water filter and purification tabs, clean water is going to important if the municipal supply is compromised.
-some kind of radio to communicate with local authorities and disaster relief operations.
-a travel/secure wallet, there will undoubtedly be trouble with marauders and opportunists trying to take from a well stocked and relatively wealthy American.
-tough boots....not sure which i.e. steel toe, hiking, etc...would be more appropriate but something suited to the climate and working conditions.

Much of your gear and planning depends on what you are going to do: SAR needs lots of work clothes, comm needs tools, batteries and lots of spare parts, Logistics? Paper, pens, tape, etc.

I remember reading a story about a responder to 9/11 and the lessons learned about what to take. I thought it was here on ETS under survival stories but I can't find it. I recall there was some wonderful insight and lessons learned. Alas, I like Arney, am not a professional but the article came to mind so just thought I would mention it.

Multple headlamps, pocket sized flashlight and large/long Mag Light type flashlights that work on commonly available batteries. Also water purification (not just a filter), think General Ecology Deluxe and the best bottle type purifiers. Leatherman Wave tool or equivelant. Non-weapon weapons, i.e. Long Mag Light, oak/hickory walking cane, Spyderco Delica, pepper spray, as much for animal as people defense. Leather work gloves and Gortex lined leather boots. Bug repellent and headnet. N-95 masks with relief vales and nitrile gloves. Some diversions: a good book , I-pod, laptop, etc. Finally several tubes of Vicks to rub in/around her nose, because the stench of decay will be overwhelming. Good luck and God bless to your friend.

I think I know that article that you're talking about. I probably have it saved somewhere but can't find it on my computer right now. You did remind me of a different article, from a doc responding to Katrina. He was part of a Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) for FEMA. Actually, isn't Jeff_M organized under FEMA, too?

Anyway, this article isn't a list of gear, but it does give some idea of what to expect mentally, if Haiti is your friend's first deployment to a disaster situation on this scale. For what it's worth--

A Doctor's Message from Katrina's Front Lines

Some sort of safety vest (slime or orange) preferably with the appropriate ICS color markings/colors

I find Pete's list with BLACK boots interesting, particularly in light that the Army (and I believe USMC) have offically moved over to the Tan desert type boots, and frankly, in a situtation like Haiti, the color probably doesn't matter

The "Must be part of some self sustaining infrastructure" is CRITICAL

Grabbing some sort of NIMS guide would probably be a "good thing" if he is not conversant in ICS/NIMS, as I'm going to guess that the situation will fairly rapidly fall into a "pseduo-NIMS" operation, as many of the folks going down there WILL be NIMS aware

BTW - Plug time. FEMA has some online courses which are kinda handy to have if you are ever at an incident

Look for ICS-100, ICS-200 and ICS-700

Gentlemen,

Thanks for all the good suggestions, but I am not looking for his work equipment, just his PERSONAL survival kit. He is part of a DMAT team, and they have good (?) lists of equipment for normal use.

An earthquake scene is different from most other disasters in that you might rapidly become a survivor as well during an aftershock/secondary earthquake. You need to be able to leave where you are instantly and be prepared to take care of yourself until help arrives -- even though you were the original response team. My first was in 1973, and the point was driven home when the location we were in was damaged by the rubble from a nearby bulding during an aftershock.

This is the idea I am floating. Sorry I was not clear in my first post.

Thanks,

Jerry

The black boots go with the navy blue that many US Fire/Rescue teams wear, just part of the tradition. Working in rubble piles and mud will quickly dirty any boot, the darker color tends to hide the dirt a little. As you say the actual color probably does not matter for this individual, just as long as they provide the proper protection.

Pete

Advice from people who travel and work in crowded places:

Expect and be prepared for digestive issues brought on by stress, irregular schedules, and strange food/water:

Imodium, generic - Loperamide, to control diarrhea.

Pepto tablets - generic bismuth tablets, to smooth out digestive problems.

Tums, generic calcium carbonate antacid tablets, to sooth sour stomach from stress or strange food/water.

A supply of bland and known safe food can keep you going if your stomach isn't cooperating. A short supply of Mainstay or other 'survival rations' are usually acceptable. Pick one you like but avoid things you like too much, and things with a lot of flavor. A friend in another country spent three very exhausting days because all they could find that was safe and would stay down was roll of Lifesavers. A box of graham crackers would have been welcome.

Diarhea is a possible outcome of a new location and a sore bung problematic. Baby wipes with aloe, a small tube of Preparation-H, and/or Diaper creme with zinc oxide and balsam can keep things comfortable. These also have use as lubricants, hand creme and to coat minor scrapes.

Your going to be around a lot of people who will be moving around while you try to rest. Invest in ear plugs, the foam ones are usually best. They can be reused by a person a few times if still clean. Also get a sleep mask. Bring spares of both for friends.

Lay in a supply of Benadryl, generic - diphenhydramine, they are safe and effective sleeping pills and a very effective antihistamine. Haiti is a tropical island with a wide variety of potential allergens. Sleep and avoiding allergy attacks are both good.

Haiti is very near the equator. The sun, even in the winter, can flay the skin off your average lily-skinned Yankee in a few hours. A supply, and reserve, of a strong water-resistant sunscreen is going to serve you well. Wide-brimmed hat, long-sleeved shirt, and sunglasses with retainer(and a spare pair) will save you trouble.

With the cool wind coming off the water a fleece jacket is going to feel good after you acclimate to the heat. It also gets cool in the hills.

A short personal supply of Aspirin or whatever headache pills work for you wouldn't be out of place.

Bring your own reserve of toilet paper.

With a lack of clean water, crowds and dead bodies I would bring a supply of mentholated rub to apply under the nose to help with the smell. Haiti is pretty fragrant to start with. Disaster is unlikely to have improved it much.

You can't go wrong with a half-dozen bandannas. Plenty of uses.

Jerry,

There's lots of threads on PSKs. FWIW here is a start (see disclaimer below):

- Personal First Aid Kit (personal health is paramount; hand sanitizer and a CPR shield may be a good idea as well).
- Emergency blanket or bag (personal shelter and doubles to treat victims of shock - garbage bags could work in a pinch and do additional duty for water collection).
- In a wilderness PSK, matches or other fire-starting methods would be carried but I am not sure how vital these would be in this situation. Do you envision someone having to bug out and live off the land for a day or two? If so then include some matches in a waterproof case, a lighter (as simple or sophisticated as you like), and the spark-lite. You may want to have several options here and give the kit user a heads up to bring their own preferred method. Some tinder quik tabs would also be a good idea.
- Water is critical so carry some water purification tablets and sturdy water bags - the Nasco Whirl-Pak® Water Bag from the PSP Plus looks promising (standard disclaimer here and elsewhere in this post). I am sure there are other options; a simple baking bag with reusable zip tie may suffice. Some tubing might be ideal to reach pooled water behind some rubble (see Doug Ritter's Mini Kit elsewhere on the ETS site).
- Whistle, bandana, maybe a strobe or signal laser or other signaling items. I am thinking loud would be more useful than bright. For versatility, make the emergency blanket or garbage bags a bright color too (that's why I like the Heatsheet so well).
- Bring along some high calorie ration bars or similar energy food. In this situation a meal can be easily overlooked or worked through and you may suddenly find yourself ravenous. Something to eat, while admittedly not critical, can keep you thinking clearly. If long term living off the land is a possibility, include a fishing kit.
- A spare small headlamp (DRs eq headlamp comes to mind - don't forget extra batteries), a good plier tool, and mini sharpener. Not sure what other "tools" might be useful.
- Spare goggles and dust masks or respirators (there may be access to something a lot better but this is what I know - see disclaimer below), wipes, tp, insect repellant if bugs will be an issue, sunscreen, and sunglasses.
- Some wire, paracord, duct tape, sewing kit, safety pins, fresnel lens, aluminum foil, paper and pencil, and rubber bands.
- Navigation items like a compass are also normal for a wilderness kit but thinking these would be less critical in this situation.
- A prybar and jack-hammer would be nice but won't exactly fit in a small kit.

I mention my disclaimer again that I am not a professional, just thinking along PSK lines here. Others will have better input I am sure. Any items already being carried or deemed unneccessary could easily be dropped from the kit and replaced with other more neccessary gear. You could also start with a PSP and add some of the suggested items that are missing like the FAK, emergency blanket, water tabs, water bag, tubing, bandana, rations, headlamp, batteries, plier tool, mini sharpener, spare goggles and dust masks. Hope this helps.

Ladies and Gentlemen

I have used this forum for ideas for years and thought that you might like to see how New Zealand Red Cross equips its international disaster response delegates. We have to strike a balance between discharging our duty of care to our employees and not over burdening them. As a minimum they go with:

1. Hard shell case (Pelican 1510)
2. NZRC padlock x2 (+ TSA locks, USA use only)
3. Security cable
4. sheet sleeping bag – silk - long
5. Mosquito net and command removable hanging hooks
6. Insect repellent (small)
7. Loo paper x 2
8. Waterless bactericidal hand wash (small)
9. Sun block (small)
10. Poncho (cheap rain protection)
11. Very small windup torch
12. IFRC/NZRC/ERU (Finish) vest
13. NZRC T Shirt x 4
14. NZRC Sun hat
15. Life jacket (+strobe, +heliograph, a lot of our work is in Pacific Islands)
16. Food x 6 days (emergency)
17. Water filter + water sterilisation drops
18. Water bottle
19. Laundry liquid (conc.)
20. Polythene Tarpaulin/whiteboard (2x4 m)
21. Whiteboard pen (2 colours)
22. Builders twine
23. Personal first aid kit
24. Duct tape
25. Folding bucket
26. Can opener
27. Universal bath plug

The case, cable and padlocks together provide a reasonably secure stowage for valuables. At a pinch the polythene sheet duct tape and builders twine will give weather protection. If we suspect that accommodation will not be available we add a personal accommodation pack:

1. Backpack
2. NZRC padlock x2 (+ TSA lock, use only inside USA)
3. Security cable (2 meters)
4. Sleeping bag (lightweight)
5. Sleeping mat
6. Tent (self supporting, may be used as mosquito dome)
7. Food x 8 days
8. Knife Fork Spoon Mug & Plate
9. Cooking pot set
10. Multifuel stove & fuel bottle
11. Flint and steel
12. Loo paper x 4 roll

No matches, no lighters, to avoid arguments at airports. Each delegate has a personal issue SOG multitool, optimised for electrical work.
NZRC maintains an IT&Telecoms Emergency Response Unit for use by the IFRC, they may be deployed at 48 hours notice anywhere in the world. In the event of going to extreme climates we send them to an outdoors shop with a budget limit and tell them to buy what they need.
It was not our turn to delploy this time, never the less I have grown a few more grey hairs over the last couple of days.

Matthew

Matthew, thanks for contributing! Nice to have a Kiwi's perspective.

One question--what form does the food in your kits take? Like our retort-pouch MRE's? Or by "emergency" food, do you mean something more like compact lifeboat rations?

Interesting list. I like it and coming from Montana where everyone carries a knife of some sort...I am glad they get the multi-tool!

Areny, th 6 days food in "Personal Deployment Pack" (Pelican case) is simply lifeboat rations. It is there for those occasions when I make a complete misjudgement and there is nothing to eat on arrival. It buys time to send real food.

The food in the "Personal Accommodation Pack" (backpack) is complete daily menus "heat and eat" similar to MRE. The food is heavy so we send more when required. There are also a "Base camp" (mess tent, camp beds, tables and chairs)and "Base Office" (tent, tables, chairs,wifi, printers etc...) kits but these are sent as freight and are rarely required because most of the time we find buildings from which to base our operations.

A team comprises a team leader (technically capable but with good social skills to interface with the wider world) an IT speciallist and a Telecoms speciallist. All are expected to be able to contribute in their non speciallist field.

Matthew

Question - Multi-tool optimized for electrical work. Any comments on what those optimizations are? My most likely call out of for comms work. It's funny, as a ham, most of the guys in our group think "ham radio". My though (2 minor things, plus talking with the guys who have BTDT) is more "standing watch on some commercial radio, sat phone, helping run messages around, setup fax machines etc" - ham is the next to last choice, but the operators are traned in how to write down a clear message, and forward it

I know that's I've been asked to help wire phones, lans etc, and have alwasy been glad for my small bag of tools, and my leatherman

Anyone else carry a pair of field telephones and a spool of cable in their "Comms" bag? Useful at a shelter etc instead of tieing up an overused radio at times

Are you talking small electrical work, i.e. electronic devices like phones, radios, etc, or actual electrical work like house wiring?
For the small stuff the leatherman squirt EL/E4 (was called the EL back when I bought one) is pretty nice. The stripper is nice and sharp.

I have an EL - too small for all but the lightest use. Try and cut a cat5 with it. It's a good keyring addon to a real multitool

Being able to cut RG-58 is good. Ditto cat5. Work on the 12V power side of portable radios is critical

As it is now, my truck kit has some tools, and right next to my "radio box" is an orange dry box with "electrical tools". Things like a can wrench, adjustable wrenches, RJ45/RJ11 crimpers, stripper/crimpers for 22-10 gage wire (and a nice assortment of ring lugs/splices etc) a Butt set, tone trace set, etc etc (including gear to strip coax and install everything from F connectors to UHF, BNC, N, TNC connectors up to RG8/RG213/LMR400 class coax (you get to hardline, your on your own - that's not temp work)

Thing is, I'm not going to lug my dry box around all the time, so the question is - You're out in the field, away from your box, but will always have a multitool on you. An "optimized" multitool would be a "good thing"

Thats why I was trying to see what kind of electrical work. Do you use those Anderson Powerpoles on your 12v radios? Ideal has a pair of pliers that I found at lowes which works well to crimp those. I also have one of those crimpmaster tools which the interchangeable dies so you can crimp different kinds of cable.

Thanks for the input Matthew. And welcome. I knew there would be some rescue professionals offering better input. Good to know about the lighters and matches, I did not know about issues with those at airports (I don't fly). Any problems with the flint and steel? Could you include that with the regular kit if there is not any airport issues? The wind-up torch (That is a flashlight with a crank, right?) seems like a good idea - no extra batteries needed. But what if you have to work in the dark and need both hands? Like I said I am not a professional but this seems like it could be a likely scenario in a major catastrophe. A headlight could be a valuable addition to the kit. I am also trying to figure out how the kit items are to be stowed. Some of it seems to be large items (folding bucket, 4 t-shirts, life jacket, hat and such) that would not stow easily in pockets. I assume this is not intended to be a pocket sized personal kit. So does it all go in the Pelican case for travel, unpacked when you reach the site and place what will fit in the vest and other pockets? Stow the rest in the case and lock it up? Is it all loose and up to the individual to place where they want or are the smaller items (duct tape, twine, can opener, etc) in their own case (a kit if you will)? Is the universal bath plug useful for other than its intended purpose? Could you comment on some less obvious intended purposes of the items you list? For instance, the folding bucket, useful for a lot of different things but is it intended for a portable loo, carrying water, or something else? Maybe something medical? Vomit catcher or stowage for medical waste? I hope you and everyone else will forgive my ignorance.

Jerry, I looked at part of your original post.


I was just wondering if you are talking about a pocket-sized kit, or pack-sized? I would think both would probably be a good idea. A little redundancy never hurt anybody. Do you want just kit items or can we add personal items not neccessarily part of the kit to our list? For instance, I did not put a hat on my list because I figured someone would already be wearing one. For a pack-sized kit I would add some mosquito netting, maybe a hammock (I am thinking you would not want to sleep on the ground in Haiti - snakes, spiders, etc), shovel, tarps and so on. Sorry to ramble but it seems everyone has a different take as to what comprises a personal kit. Perhaps we should allow categories here for items on person (hat, sunglasses, gloves), items in pocket kit, and items in pack kit. I know the pros take this for granted but for the average joes like me it would be a big help. Carry on.

Second the fanny pack with critical gear - ID, cell phone, meds, sanitizer, flashlight, TP (mission critical). There are no 7-11's handy so triple spares of glasses, meds, disposables, sunscreen, personal FAK/ toiletries.

This is a guess from far away but I suspect that most people going to an event will be spending the nights in large camps with other rescuers. From that I would guess that there will much of some stuff and critical shortages of other stuff.

What I might pack for working "in camp."

wet wipes
unique looking bottle/ mug for water
flasks of non-water beverages
batteries, them more.
solar/ crank charger for whatever electronics you are carrying.
locks for your gear
cash
jumbo repair kit
music player
plastic bags/ boxes ( dust)

It is a hot dusty environment. expect to be outdoors/ semi outdoors for weeks

sunscreen
sunglasses (case) spares / wipes
hat
chapsticks


trade goods: ( for your team)
any chocolate that can take 95 degrees
pens
tiny snacks of any kind( powerded drink mixes)
earplugs ( box)
any sort of caffeine


Again, these are guesses - but might be a good place to start

TRO

I would certainly go with leather, with a gore lining if preferred. Colour doesn't matter, but leather doesn't absorb anything nasty as readily as fabric or suede.

Yep

http://www.thegallos.com/ppole.htm

The "optimization" of a tool (not neccessarily the electrical one in question, just as a general rule) should generally depend on the user. Electrical is good for electricians, but maybe not so much for medical personnel. They may do better with a more basic tool.

Golly, what a lot of questions while I was asleep. As the thread was personal equipment, that is all that I listed. Let me give you a fuller picture.

The IT&T ERU's (there only 5 in the world, one in the USA) task is to provide the office communications services so that the Red Cross can function independant of infrastructure. To that end we deploy with comprehensive tool kits, satellite terminals, HF, VHF, solar panels, generator, WiFi PCs and office periferals. Thus on arrival we need make no demands on local resources. In additon the IFRC has a standard list of equipment so that (in theory) we all arrive with compatible equipment. An informed decsision is made as to what is needed immediatley and what can be sent later if required. Where possible all the equipment travels as personal luggage so that we are fully equipped on arrival and it seems to cost no more than shipping freight.

The equipment for personal survival/working is packed in modules so that no more is carried than required, but some sort of meagre existance is possible should we misjudge what was needed.

The SOG has needle nosed pliers, wire strippers, scissors, knife, saw, awl, 1/4" drive for socket spanners and assorted screwdrivers. It is black and engraved to reduce the chance of it being picked up by "accident". It's main function is morale and team builing, they are issued when training is completed. Team members are expected to safely manage energy all the way from petrol in the can, through the generator to EM waves in the atmosphere.

The Personal Deployment pack contains all on the list below it (it is a bugger to make it all fit). The lifejacket looks like a fannypack on a waistbelt but does a proper job of keeping an unconscious body in the right attitude. The strobe and heliograph are tied to the lifejacket for obvious reasons.

The wind up flash light is the size of a postage stamp and is a last resort, individuals are expected to supply their own headlamps. The T shirts are really for trade/gifts, to say thankyou to your driver, that sort of thing. The bucket and/or bath plug, with the laundry liquid, enable you to keep your clothes fresh (don't forget we are there to work, not simply survive). I simply assume that the flint and steel will not be recognised by airport security staff.

Sorry, this is becoming a long post. Lastly let me tell you what I advise people to carry in their hand baggage on the plane, same philosphy as above but personal purchase not supplied by NZRC:

Water bladder
Lightweight poncho
Folding umbrella
Sun glasses
Sunhat
USB stick with operational information, images of passports and credit cards, reference library
Pen, pencil and notepad
Small flashlight
2 complete changes of clothes
laundry liquid (bottle smaller than 100ml)
Ipod with noise cancelling headphones
Book
body warmer
light weight rain jacket
Shoes (I wear my boots on the plane)
Wash kit
Sleeping kit
Pain killers
Headlamp
Hammock
Silk sheet sleeping bag
This all adds up to 11Kg, fortunately my hand baggage (backpack) is rarely weighed

I carry money, travel documents and passports on my person.

Phew, that's it, thank you for your patience

Matthew

Sorry to tax you like that Matthew. We (or at least I) are a curious bunch and will ask a lot of questions. The other pros in the forum probably less so. I would like to have been (and would still like to be) a rescue professional or volunteer in some capacity but personal responsibility with regard to my medical condition has kept me from persuing that route. What good would a diabetic having an insulin reaction be to a group of lost hikers? Or to someone trapped in a building? For the same reasons I could not pursue a career in police, fire, or ambulance services. I would have liked to serve in our nations military but they will not accept diabetics in the ranks either. No way to get a Commercial Drivers License or pilot license either. Fate is truly a fickle thing.
Sorry to ramble and run off course. Nice post BTW, appreciate the info and clarification.

Mark,

There are many roles you can fill despite your medical condition.

If your blood sugar is under control, there is no reason you could not become an EMT. I personally know several EMTs with diabetes both insulin and non-insulin dependant.

Every Volunteer Fire Company I know is always looking for logistical support, which does not require one to be in prime physical condition. Administrative roles for fund raising, bookkeeping, EMS billing, fire prevention education, CPR and First Aid instruction and general station duties. Operational roles could include: EMT, Fire Police, and manning Rehab and Logistical units.

Don’t sell yourself short; you can be a very valuable and productive member of any Fire/Rescue company. Now get busy, no more excuses !

Pete

Look up Ideal 35-1071 at lowes, under $10 and seems to be made for the powerpoles. I have a some and have made adapters from the automotive plug to them and back.

All, Thanks for the reply's, there is lots of good information flowing here.

Mark,

As I said in my original post:



I was looking for ideas for both an on-the-person kit and a small pack size kit to grab. Not just PSK's but additions to them for the problem at hand. Since the person in question is an MD, he will not be working in the field, but in a more static location. It has been my experience, however, that even that type of person can go from helping rescue to needing rescue very quickly -- especially in an earthquake situation.

Thanks,

Jerry

A few hours ago, I was requested to deploy to Haiti with a volunteer group possibly as early as this coming Tuesday that will provide infrastructure support for an aid agency. Our area of responsibility is with comms, computers, networks and other related IT tasks much like Matthew described (but on a smaller scale) in an earlier post.

Several of us have EMT, firefighter and other medical experience and are cross trained in many areas both medically and tech wise.

We all were given a mandatory supply list and also are allocated 20 lbs each of personal items that we want to take with us on our flight. There are plans for a follow up re-supply flight in about 14-18 days after our day of departure and until then we need to be fully self sufficient until we get a re-supply. Our expected deployment time is 60 days minimum.

If I get time, I will post the list later tonight or tomorrow.

Teslinhiker,

Looking forward to your reports!
Good luck and God bless.

-Blast

Good luck to you, Teslinhiker!

Thanks Pete.

The question you're asking is a LOT harder than you think. I've been looking for answers to that question for 15 years now ... and I'm still on the learning curve.

If you put together a massive list of personal supplies - it all looks good on paper. But by the time you get it all together, you'll be lucky if you can fit it into two large duffel bags. Great - but what do you plan to DO to actually help the people that you are reaching? Two bags is the limit for a standard passenger on a commercial aircraft. You've succeeded in being 100% prepared to guarantee your own survival ... and 0% prepared to help that people who are suffering in the disaster zone.

So - to move you along. You need to MINIMIZE the massive lists of survival gear that people are preparing here. THROW OUT at least 50-60% of the gear. That's right ... leave it at home! Truth its ... you don't really need it anyway. it just makes you a target for 3'rd world looters and robbers.

It takes experience to make that final cut - which gear really needs to go and which gear does not. You've got to know your destination fairly well, and estimate what can be improvised from the local stuff that's available.

Do you see why I occasionally drop into this forum now. I don't pay attention at all to all the people making lists of PSK's. But I DO pay great attention to people who can improvise effective survival solutions from simple everyday stuff. That's a real skill!! There are some great suggestions on this forum.

Ohhh .. and by the way. Tell your friend good luck and best wishes with his trip. He's doing something good for the world - and that counts for a lot! It really won't matter if he forgets some gear - there will be so many other volunteers in Haiti that he should be able to trade/buy anything that he has forgotten. So there's absolutely no need for him to stress out.

other Pete

I think people tend to load up on way more OTC medicines than are necessary, namely anti-diarrheals (loperamide), which may cause more harm than good. Your GI tract responds to infectious pathogens by clearing them out (diarrhea), in which case if you stop the diarrhea, you prevent your body from ridding itself of the pathogen. It's better to increase fluid replacement (electrolyte solutions) and get some rest. Most cases clear up within a few days and are likely viral. If it lasts longer or the severity is such that dehydration is a big problem, you need medical attention - in which case an anti-diarrheal may be necessary, if, and only if, medical care is not immediately available.

Most people I know are too quick to pop open XYZ OTC drug to control symptoms for whatever's ailing them, when increasing fluids and simply getting some rest will help them recover quicker. Of course this speaks to our fast-paced, cannot-be-bothered-by-illness lifestyles

There are also other type of anti diarrhea pills. Personally i use 'Norit', which are activated carbon pellets. The are suppose to absorb the toxins and other nasties that couse the diarrhea.

I just endure the episode, thereby getting some of the rest that is advocated. Works for me.

I think you are absolutely right about the overemphasis on meds.

Jerry

By the way ... I'd say that if your friend has any problem at all - he needs to think about clean water. That is ... clean water for himself. It is likely that water could be scarce in Haiti after this earthquake, and purified water will not be easy to obtain. It is possible that the normal supplies of water have been disrupted, and there could be a risk of cholera. The local environment will be a risk because of the putrid decay of all the bodies that are trapped in the rubble. Clean up is unlikely to happen for a long time.

In these circumstances, your friend needs a good water filter. Almost anything (virus, harmful organism) could be in the water down there. I would strongly recommend that he also boil ALL water before drinking ... if it has come from natural sources.

People in the USA tend to assume that water purification technology works well everywhere. But I've had a lot of headaches with water sterlization. None of the common solutions works well at all (except boiling). Water purifiers that are available off the shelf in places like REI and Sports Chalet (outdoors stores) can filter out viruses. But the filters tend to clog up rapidly if there is any dirt in the water. In the third world, there is ALWAYS dirt in the water!

Likewise, purification tablets can work (iodine and chlorine) but they make the water taste terrible. Then people won't drink it - so they start getting dehydrated. I am talking about volunteers from 1'st world countries, not people in the 3'rd world. Haitians will drink any clean water available - bad taste or not. But we have become very spoiled with the abundance of pure fresh-tasting water, so volunteers from the USA and the UK often won't drink enough water that is purified by iodine or chlorine. Eventually they get sick because of long-term dehydration.

Your friend probably needs a good small stove, fuel, and a pot for boiling water. Unfortunately, fuel for the stove cannot be shipped by conventional airlines and it may be hard to come by in Haiti. THERE'S the problem!!!

This particular subject - availability of clean drinking water in a large-scale disaster zone - is a major headache. It is a good "personal challenge" for all the members of this forum ... in terms of coming up with possible solutions.


other Pete

On a separate subject - THREE CHEERS to the country of Israel and the group of Israeli's who responded to the Haiti disaster very quickly. It sounds very much like the Israeli's were one of the first effective response teams on the scene. No doubt the conditions they encountered were extremely ugly. That was an outstanding job by them!!! I hope someone from that group will come and post some firsthand observations on this forum.

other Pete

Boiling is about the best way to be sure of potable water. You make an excellent point about the difficulty of bringing in the more usual proprietary fuel sources available in the developed world. This would incline me to bring in one (or more) alcohol stoves or the raw materials from which they could be fabricated. Alcohol comes in many different varieties, such as booze, and can usually be made to work. Also bring in the basics for fabrication of a hobo stove (big tin can originally containing food). Then you can burn local materials much more efficiently. Anything other than air or boat transport, and I would try very hard to include my beloved and dependable Pocket Rocket, obviously along with as many fuel canisters as I could include.

One of the reasons I really like boiling as a means of purification is a trip I took to China with a group of cavers some years ago. We would up deep in rural areas. Our food was prepared by local chefs and the potable water came from boiling. I never saw the source of the water we drank, but I am pretty sure it was a local irrigation ditch. We were a group of twelve, in country for a month. Number of intestinal upsets in the group - none, nada, zip. Boil away, I say.

From the news reports I have read the Israeli team was the first to have setup a fully functioning field hospital in a soccer field; a sterile environment complete with xray machines and other medical equipment capable of supporting various operating room scenarios. Seems like the Israelis were well-prepared to have such an environment setup so quickly.

Thanks for the clarification, Jerry. I got a bit confused as you first asked "What would you carry for a personal kit" and then went on to mention your kits so I wasn't really clear what you were asking for. Now I am.

Teslinhiker, watch your @$$ and come back safe.

Other Pete, I think Jerry is asking about just the personal survival equipment. The other medical equipment you speak of to help the victims will come as part of the groups equipment. On cutting your survival gear and leaving most of it behind, that is purely a personal choice (that is why they call them PERSONAL survival kits isn't it? ). My list may seem long to you but Jerry asked our opinion and I gave mine. My list (and others too I'm sure) is long because I don't know the destination and don't know for certain what I could improvise from available local materials. I would venture a guess that local materials are being used up by the victims and won't be available for use by anyone else. What good am I to the victims if I have to use some of their resources to improvise what I left behind anyway? My apologies if this sounds sterner than I intended it. Just wanted you to know where I and maybe others are coming from. Clean water will certainly be a concern but will Jerry's friend really have the time to boil water? I am thinking about an article I read about a 9 11 responder who was a medical person as well. IIRC, by the time he was relieved (almost 18 hours later) he was so exhausted he went to a rest station where he quaffed a bottle of water and collapsed into a bed. Imagine if someone told him before he could drink that water he had to boil it first. I have no personal experience in a scenario like this but I would imagine they will be relying on other sources of water, possibly cases of bottled water or water from a central purifying station. I'm not saying that is what they should be doing but in all likelihood what they will be doing. They are there for their medical expertise and personally I would rather have them triaging or treating patients rather than taking time to boil a drink of water. You are still correct but the reality of the situation will lead to less than optimal water purification by individuals.

Kudos to the Israelis. I had not heard about that.