BY-NC-SA Part one of a three part series.
By: Barbara Albert, New York State paramedic
Well, my mission began Saturday the 16th. It was three groups that joined together as one: Bedstuy Volunteer Ambulance Corp. (made of New York State EMT's and paramedics), The Haitian-American doctors and nurses abroad, and the volunteer ministers of the Church of Scientology. Together we formed the Haiti Rescue Team.
We were ready to go Saturday evening, but as you know, it is hard for a plane to get a slot to land in Haiti's International Airport. By the time we got everything situated in the States, we missed our slot to land in Haiti so we had to spend the night in Miami and head to Haiti the next afternoon. It was a smooth flight
When we arrived in Haiti Sunday afternoon, there were approximately 150 of us. We had to wait on a couple of buses and trucks to transport us/luggage/medical supplies/food.. While sitting on the tarmac where the planes landed (the airport is closed due to severe damage from the earthquake), I witnessed over 125 Haitian refugees standing on line to board the plane that we just got off.. Our coordinator was due to return to the States with an empty plane and flight crew, but refused to do so when he realized hundreds of Haitians were camping outside the airport hoping for a way out the country. He got clearance for some who had the appropriate visas and passports to board the plane. Many had no belongings. Most were children and pregnant woman.
As they stood in line on the tarmac to board the plane our crew started giving them water snacks -- anything we could find. It was heart- breaking to see the looks of chance/survival on their faces and more heartbreaking to see the ones who were turned away crying with desperation.
After the jump: the team arrives at Port-Au-Prince's General Hospital.
Day 2: Monday
Well today our medical crew traveled to the local hospital of Port-Au-Prince called General Hospital.. Before arriving in Haiti it was said on the news that the main hospital was collapsed. But to our surprise when we arrived there were patients lined up around the hospital with injuries since the earthquake that have not been treated yet and the hospital was abandoned. There was a small area that two local nurses were trying desperately to aide some patients but it wasn't enough. So my crew opened up the rest of the hospital by breaking open doors, sweeping, mopping, making sections, we had a triage area, a trauma room, OBGYN/Labor and delivery area, walking wounded area, critical area, the US army donated beds as we found some lingering in the hallways.
With in one hour of cleaning up and getting our medical equipment that we came with situated in one area we were receiving patients around the clock 24/7 they were flowing in left and right. People were wheeling in patients in wheel barrels, kids being carried in on their parents back, pick up trucks were turned into bunk beds in the back bringing in the ill. It was a sad situation.
We had all types of injuries: trauma to the head from roofs collapsing and debris falling on the people, broken arms, legs, internal injuries, deep lacerations. There were plenty of amputations due to the fact that when the earthquake happened the small amount of physicians and equipment that were available didn't take the time to fix or drill injuries they just amputated the broken extremity. And to add to the matter Haiti does not have electricity at night so either you have a generator or a good flash light so that added to the problem.
It was sad to see the amount of helpless children injured especially the ones with amputations, bad injuries, open wounds getting infected. They were crying non-stop unless they were restless and slept. For the rest of the population you can see the shock in their faces as if they were still speechless on how their life just changed in a split second.
