Miami Herald
HERO and the U.S. Army work side by side to treat and transport injured people who are still being flown in from the quake-struck region.
U.S. uses choppers, ships and military personnel to deliver aid to Haiti quake victims
UPDATED AUGUST 31, 2021
In the field, the operation includes a Joint Task Force medic and a surgeon, who review photos of injuries and approve the use of U.S. military aircraft to transport patients to the capital. Back in Miami, others are helping to coordinate the response and find hospitals via a WhatsApp chatroom with JTF and civilian volunteers (HERO Ground Truth) in Haiti. “It’s really grown,” said Steve Krueger, who works with HERO Ground Truth. “We booted this whole thing with WhatsApp. There are guys with Joint Task Force Bravo sitting in Florida on a WhatsApp chat with us, who can send a message to the fixed-wing aircraft overhead to task the helicopter to medevac. ... It’s really a huge operation that’s going on.“ A few feet from a triage tent, an air-conditioned tent serves as a nerve center for the U.S. military personnel from the various branches and units scheduling the aid drop-offs. “It’s amazing how integrated everybody has become,” said U.S. Army Col. Steven Gventer. Read Article
