International Preparedness Network

By Aton Edwards, I.P.N. Executive Director

As we continue to help the people of Haiti to recover and rebuild their devastated nation, we must not forget that disasters will continue to strike, and — we must stand ready to respond whenever and wherever they appear.  

Over the past few days, the people of the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota have been struggling to deal with a disaster that has severely impacted against thousands of the 15,000 Tribal members living on the Connecticut-sized reservation.  They have been living without running water, heat & electricity due to a severe ice storm that knocked down 3000 utility poles.  In addition,  the sub-zero temperatures have compounded their suffering.

The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Chairman Joe Brings Plenty has declared a State of Emergency in central South Dakota, and  is awaiting a Presidential disaster declaration.  

 

Tribal Chairman Joe Brings Plenty

Plenty also states  “making matters worse, the loss of electricity has also knocked out the Reservation’s aging water system. We have no running water on the entire Reservation, it is also affecting of Reservation communities such as Faith, whose water is supplied from pipes running through the Reservation.”

Tribal members are helping to move affected families out of the cold, and into heated shelters.  They are assisted by the Army Corps of Engineers, the 
South Dakota National Guard, Wal-Mart and the States Department of Public Safety and supplies.

The Navajo Nation is also helping.  They sent a tribal utility crew to repair downed electrical lines.  

Some work has been done, but much more assistance is needed.  I’m posting the requested materials & supplies here & urging all of our members & readers that have helped, and continue to assist the Haitian earthquake survivors to reach out and help our Native Brothers & Sisters.   

Your contribution will be appreciated and, immediately deployed — unlike the situation in Haiti.  

We can do both!  It’s easy — just take the money you planned on spending to see a movie, buy a video game, six-pack, etc & send it to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe/2010 Disaster Account (info posted below).  Or, collect some of the listed materials & supplies, run to your local post office and send it off.

They will appreciate any help you can offer.   Please read the info posted below!

 ”wašte!” (wash-tay)

MEDICAL NEEDS:  Dialysis Patients/Glucose Strips/Financial Support for Hotels

* The dialysis patients have all been evacuated three hours away to
Rapid City, SD. They are staying in hotels for at least a week and half,
probably longer. The Tribe is looking into reimbursement sources from CMS
and IHS, but in the interim financial contributions are needed to help the
families pay for their hotel expenses and food. An account has been set up
at Wells Fargo to help with these expenses. You can contribute at any Wells
Fargo or send to the Rapid City branch.

CONTRIBUTIONS:
Wells Fargo
Cheyenne Dialysis Patients (c/o Dew Bad Warrior)
Acct. #: 5815904338
1615 N 7th St.
Rapid City, SD 55701

* Medical Items Need on the Reservation itself (shipping address
below):
* Glucose Strips
* First Aid Kits
* Children’s Tylenol
* Children’s Cough Syrup

NEEDED SUPPLIES:

 * CONTRIBUTIONS: Can be made directly to the Tribe’s emergency fund
listed below.

* IN KIND: Or if you prefer to make in-kind donations:
* Non-perishable food
* Cots
* Heat sources (heaters & fuel)
* Camp stoves & fuel
* Light sources:
* Lithium 1, 2 and 3 batteries for law enforcement
* Lamps/Batteries/Lamp Oil
* Toiletries
* Toilet paper
* Paper products for the shelters
* Pampers/formula
* Hand/baby wipes/Hand sanitizer

FINANCIAL DONATIONS:
The Tribe has depleted its emergency budget with the two blizzards that
already hit the reservation since December. It needs funds to help buy food
and supplies for the community and volunteers, to pay for gas and overtime
for the workers, to replace the motor at the water pump station that was
destroyed, etc. Any financial donations are much appreciated. The Tribe is
also trying to set up on-line donations but that may take some time.

WIRE DONATIONS TO:
Cheyenne River Sioux 2010 Disaster Account
Direct to: United Bkrs Bloomington ABA # 091 001 322
Beneficiary Bank: Account Number 250 3373
State Bank of Eagle Butte
Eagle Butte, SD 57625
Final Credit: Account Holder @ UBB Customers Bank
Account Holder: CRST 2010 Disaster, Account Number 103173

MAIL CHECK DONATIONS TO:
TO: Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe/2010 Disaster Account
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Chairman’s Office
Attn: Ice Storm Emergency Fund
PO Box 590
2001 Main Street (Tribal Offices)
Eagle Butte, SD 57625

SHIP SUPPLIES TO:
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Chairman’s Office
Attn: Ice Storm Emergency Supplies
PO Box 590
2001 Main Street (Tribal Offices)
Eagle Butte, SD 57625

CHEYNNNE RIVER SIOUX CONTACTS:
Robin Le Beau, Chairman’s Assistant c (610) 568-2101
Joe Brings Plenty, Tribal Chairman c (605) 365-6548
CRST Emergency Coordination Center (605) 964-7711 (7712)

 

 

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By Aton Edwards, I.P.N. Executive Director

The I.P.N. Shelter For Haiti Now! campaign is moving in full swing as we continue to gather more support for our geodesic dome building program.  The Life For The World organization http://lifefortheworld.com along with Savior Faire Records Inc. has joined the team to help spread the word about the project in Haiti along with organizing fundraisers and sponsors that will help to pay for the domes. 

I.P.N. Executive Director Aton Edwards, co-founder Paul James & the Savoir Faire Team at their store in Brooklyn, NY

The I.P.N. is also working on several fundraising/volunteer recruitment events with the first beginning at the Yippie! Cafe & Museum, and several other venues.  The goal for each event is to raise enough money for one dome ranging from a family sized 16′ model to the 3o’ event dome and larger 44′ model.  

These particular units require a minimum of labor to construct, are easy to transport to Port-au-Prince, and less expensive than the larger models.

 Pacific Geodesic dome, 16′ unit

I’d prefer that the  I.P.N. wasn’t  involved with fundraising as we are not a relief organization; however, I also know that many of the other organizations involved with the relief & recovery efforts, are completely overwhelmed by the ongoing situation and are barely getting by themselves.  

They aren’t available and won’t be available to help for quite some time.  This is one commodity that none of us have because the rainy season in Haiti begins in 6 weeks.  Only geodesic, along with Monolithic (domes made of steel reinforced concrete) can withstand the hurricane force winds that Port-au-Prince may be subjected to during this period.

This is why we can’t afford to wait, and must act now.  

I believe that it’s possible to jump start a geodesic dome building program that can take root all across the island, but the only way this will happen is if people see the domes being built. World Shelters www.worldshelters.org   already has several domes already on the ground, and needs money to build more — lots more.

We’ll do our part and hope that anyone reading this will also help.

You can also help by starting your own dome building party & fundraiser.  Write me directly at aton4haiti@readyforanything.org & I’ll show you how.   

 

 

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By Aton Edwards, I.P.N. Executive Director

In the four days since my early morning post last Thursday (January 21, 2010) the rescue operation in the shattered city of Port-au-Prince, Haiti has formally ended and, the recovery process has begun.  The weary residents are beginning to file out by the tens of thousands, squeezed into impossibly crowded buses, rickety leaking boats, bicycles, carts and many in their bare feet.

Earthquake survivors squeezing into bus in Port au Prince, Haiti. Photograph: SHAWN THEW/EPA

They are headed to nearby rural areas, in hope to find safe shelter in their relatives homes. Many have traveled to Gonaives, a city that was batted by back-to back hurricanes in 2008 and still has not fully recovered.  While this exodus takes place, several international agencies struggle to locate and prepare safe sites to build tent cities to house the survivors.

As I mentioned in my previous post, tent cities will present a major problem for the survivors.  The stormy season will begin in early spring and the high winds, flooding, mud and, possible hurricanes could create another disaster that could claim even more victims.  In addition, some geologists believe that it is entirely possible that Haiti, the Dominican Republic or both may experience another earthquake.  

It is for these reasons (and many others that I don’t have the space to list here) that I, along with my colleagues at I.P.N believe that the good people of Haiti have suffered enough.  They are in need of, and deserve an emergency shelter program that will provide them with dwellings that are safe, secure & dignified.   In short, only Geodesic domes will do.

Geodesic Dome Graphic

The current situation in Haiti would require a very large and well-coordinated dome-building effort with a number of companies, international relief agencies, the Haitian government, United Nations, and the great people of Haiti.  It also needs funding.

The I.P.N. is working around the clock (literally!) to complete a program that will provide many of the survivors with sturdy geodesic shelters that will withstand the strongest storms. Once the Haitian mechanism is built, and the situation settles down, we plan to use it in the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Many who live there are still without homes  nearly 5 years after Hurricane Katrina devastated the area.

Over the past few days, I’ve been pulling together a coalition of individuals & organizations that will help us to build the domes, promote the program &  provide the resources & volunteers needed to assist this effort.   Some are listed below:

N.O.A.H. National Organization for the Advancement of Haitians

Haitian Memorial Foundation

Bedford-Stuyvesant Volunteer Ambulance Corps

BFI.org  Buckminster Fuller Institute

WRKS-FM’s “The Open Line” (my NYC  radio family)

One Dome At A Time (division of Monolithic domes)

Afrika Bambaataa & the Universal Zulu Nation  Bambaataa has been a very strong proponent of geodesic dome construction!

Phil Sauers, Water Not Weapons

Record Executive Mona Scott

Hip-Hop legend Chuck-D

Legendary Activist/Photographer/Author Ernie Paniccioli 

Dr. William Lois MD

Radio Personality/Producer/Gia’na Garel

 

THIS ARTICLE UNDER CONSTRUCTION …

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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By Aton Edwards, I.P.N. Executive Director

As I post this story at 4:10 AM on Thursday morning, January 21th, the body count in Port-au-Prince is estimated at over 200,000 with over 20,000 people dying daily from untreated injuries alone.  Roads to Port-au-Prince from the Dominican Republic are clogged and, rapidly degrading because of the constant traffic.  Hundreds of thousands are still without food & very little clean water is available.  

And still the Haitians endure.  What a mighty people. 

I’m still thinking about the words of  Yéle Haiti founder Wyclef Jean at a press conference I attended on Tuesday (with I.P.N. co-founder Paul James).

He spoke about the  1.5 million + earthquake survivors that are in desperate need of immediate shelter.  Many are women with newborn infants, elderly, the sick, all sleeping on the streets along with the dying, and the dead.   I find it difficult to sleep with that info rattling around in my head.  

He also called for a mass exodus of Port-au-Prince to help make way for the clean up effort and to move the survivors to safer areas around the island; and, how the US Army could pitch tents to house them.  With the proper logistics, and safe locations secured, an exodus could be staged but — providing shelter for the multitudes is a bit more complex and risky on a tropical island.

Regular tents (sometimes called Humanity General Purpose Tents Shelters) are simple to set up & offer rapid protection from the elements but; they can’t withstand the powerful tropical storms and, Hurricanes that Haiti is often battered by. 

During the rainy season,  A large “tent-city” would literally be blown away by the high winds & torrential rain shifting the already weary earthquake survivors from one disaster to another.  In addition, the sheer size of the camps that are needed to house  nearly 2 million people would be a nightmare to manage and, a breeding ground for disease.   

Typical UN refugee “tent city”

I already knew that there was only one way to house the survivors.  Wyclef and his team needed Bucky Fuller’s finest creation, the geodesic dome.  All I needed at that point was to design a workable plan that his associates at could make it happen as rapidly as possible, so, I began to develop a workable strategy.

The geodesic domes offer the earthquake survivors disaster resistant, simple to set-up and transport, and relatively inexpensive (when compared to traditional structures) shelters. They come in many different sizes ranging from 16′ to large 90′ structures.  All have the capacity to withstand high winds and, can be designed to withstand even the most powerful hurricanes. I knew that Pacific Domes of Oregon manufactured several versatile geodesic dome models that could be used to help solve this enormous housing crisis.  So, my first choice was made.

Stage one of the dome building operation would begin with Pacific Domes .

Pacific Domes 16′ to 90′

Read more »

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By Aton Edwards, I.P.N. Executive Director 

The Bedford-Stuyvesant Volunteer Ambulance Corps (BSVAC) is on the ground in Haiti to assist the earthquake victims in their recovery efforts.  The B.S.V.A.C. is America’s first minority-run volunteer ambulance corps that has been operating since 1988.   They are in need of supplies that will help them to rescue and treat the victims, many who have sustained serious injuries that require extensive medical treatment.

The materials needed are very specific.  Please read the list below.  It contains all of the requested items:

Pre-prepared Medical kits like the Adventure Medical kit pictured below: 

Mini Water filters.                  

Flashlights  IPN recommended Bogo Light

Meals ready to eat & heater meals

Prybars

 

Small generators

Floodlights

Camelbak Hydration Units

Reflective Raingear

Workgloves

12 Mountain bikes (to reach areas inaccessible by car)

BSVAC is in need of these items to assist them with their lifesaving work in Haiti.  If you can donate any or, all of the gear listed, please contact the BSVAC at: (718) 453-4617  Ask for James Robinson or, Rudolph Muhammad.

                                   

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Yéle Haiti has assembled a group of Haiti-based organizations and, first responders that will help to coordinate the delivery of emergency services and materials desperately needed by the Haitian earthquake victims. Each group will conduct their own fundraising and on-the-ground operations, but have agreed to share resources, collaborate when it makes sense and avoid duplication of efforts.

The members are:
 
Yéle Haiti

AmeriCares

Friends of the World Food Program

ONExONE Foundation

Pan American Development Foundation

Airline Ambassadors

The Belinda Stronach Foundation

This alliance was formed yesterday afternoon and has already set up four airlifts of medical, emergency and food supplies and a team of doctors to be sent to the most devastated areas.  The airlifts will begin on Saturday.  More details coming soon.  In the meantime, continue sending donations to:

http://www.haitichildren.com/ 

http://www.hopeforhaiti.com/

http://Save The Children.org/

http://Healing Hands For Haiti/ 

    

                           Wyclef & I.P.N. Co-Founding Member Dr. Sunyatta Amen

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