Pakistan relief efforts continue

CFC-A Continues Pakistan Earthquake Relief Efforts - Oct 17

Initially eight helicopters, five CH-47 Chinooks and three UH-60 Blackhawks, were sent to Islamabad to assist with relief and rescue efforts there.

Since their arrival, the aircraft have flown more than 73 missions accumulating more than 78 hours of flight time and lifting more than 966 multi-national rescue personnel to various areas affected by the quake. The helicopters have delivered approximately 250,000 pounds of materiel and have carried nearly a thousand injured Pakistanis.

"This is truly a joint effort," said Lt. Col. Andy Rohling, Chief of Aviation Operations. "Soldiers from all services and from all Coalition nations are here at Bagram voluntarily working to prepare these supplies for Pakistan. They are working 24 hours a day; seven days a week to make sure these items are ready to be airlifted. Relief effort is something we have a lot of experience with. We’ve been doing these kinds of missions here in Afghanistan for a very long time."

Rescue personnel, including five U.S. Army medics and one physician’s assistant, arrived in Pakistan shortly after the 7.6 earthquake. The medics accompanied the helicopters carrying supplies to inaccessible areas and treated wounded people who were brought to civilian hospitals on the return flight.

In addition to the six medical personnel, a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital is being moved to Pakistan to assist Pakistan medical facilities with the treatment of the wounded. The hospital has a staff of more than 190 medical personnel and can treat more than 30 inpatients at a time.

U.S. Central Command Air Forces Support Pakistan Aid - Oct 18

Airmen here airlifted supplies Monday in support of Pakistan-led earthquake recovery operations for the ninth straight day since the U.S. began transporting aid into the devastated region.

Two U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemasters transported more than 96,000 pounds loaded on 18 pallets, consisting of sleeping bags, clothing, and food rations. Additional cargo included generators, vehicles, temporary basing and maintenance equipment.

(The caption for this photo, courtesy of the DoD, read: U.S. Air Force airmen from the 818th Contingency Response Group, McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., off load equipment from a C-17 Globemaster III from Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., at Chaklala Air Base, Pakistan, in support of earthquake relief efforts Oct. 17, 2005. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt Jeromy K. Cross)

USAREUR’s relief headed toward Pakistan - Oct 18

The spearhead element of Task Force 212, U. S. Army Europe’s medical response to the Oct. 8 earthquake in Pakistan, left Germany Oct. 17 aboard a Russian cargo plane.

The sunset takeoff of the Antonov AN-124 Condor was the beginning of an expected mission for 12 of an expected 200 USAREUR Soldiers and 34,000 pounds of equipment heading to Pakistan to assist allies with needed medical care.

USAID, which is under the State Department, has an update on the current situation. Here are a few items:

-According to OCHA, one week after the earthquake, relief operations remain in the life-saving stage in Pakistan due to the combination of logistical challenges (including airport congestion), rapidly deteriorating weather conditions, and the number of injured. Lack of access to remote areas continues to be a major constraint. Continuous rains over the weekend slowed down relief operations, temporarily grounding helicopters.

-According to the U.N. World Health Organization (WHO), over the past week, approximately 4,000 injured people have been evacuated by helicopters from the Muzaffarabad area to Islamabad and other cities. The main health risks are lack of clean drinking water, diarrhoeal illnesses, pulmonary diseases, and non-treatment of injuries.

Here is a photo essay on medical airlift efforts.

US military relief efforts in Pakistan - Oct 13
More on the Pakistan relief efforts - Oct 14

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