New Blog Site

We've created a new blog area of our home page. Please go to www.disasternw.org and click on "News from the field" on our menu bar to keep up with what our teams are doing!

Mission Dates

DRNW has determined the dates for our next four missions to Haiti.

March 27th to April 2nd, Lead by Armadeus Davidson

March 31st to April 10th, Lead by Travis Beach

April 19th to April 25th, Lead by Armadeus Davidson

May 11 to May 22nd, Lead by Jake Gillanders

We may have immediate openings for Paramedics and RN's on the March team and we're currently building standby lists for the April team. Please email us at DisasterResponseNW@gmail.com if you interested.

Book Excerpt....

DRNW has been blessed with an exceptional writer, Aaron Espy. An excerpt from his book in progress, "Seven Bears for Seven Babies-Haiti through the eyes of a firefighter/paramedic".

I never learned his name. I gave him the first of my seven bears. It was, in fact, a bear- not a dog, a sheep, a cow, or a dragon, like so many of the other toys we’d stuffed into every nook and cranny in our luggage. It looked like the Chinese pandas except for the coloring. Instead of black and white, it was brown and yellow, with a thin black line bent into a slight smile and a tiny red felt tongue protruding. It was the perfect size for an eighteen-month old to cradle as his mom held him. She’d brought him to the clinic because, as my interpreter had told me, “he’s burned with fever for four days now, and will not eat.” I didn’t need a thermometer to feel the heat radiating off his tiny body...

A message from Team III member Aaron Espy, just returned...

Hello all,

I'm anything but cutting edge when it comes to the internet in general and blogging in particular, but I wanted to find a way to say thank you for your support while we were gone. This was an unforgettable trip that so many of you played a part in. Whether it was a 10 dollar bill, a donated case of IV fluid, covering a shift for someone, or simply a promise to pray- We felt your power and your strength wrapped in God's mercy every hour of our mission.

It may'v'e been our fingers injecting pain relief into aching bodies, our hands stitching wounds closed, our arms holding dehydrated babies, or our experience guiding us through the sea of needy people to find the sickest of the sick, but it wouldn't have been possible without so many people like you.

I especially want to offer my gratitude for those of you who prayed for our strength. After 30 years dealing with crisis, death, and tragedy, nothing prepared me for what we faced. Your prayers gave us strength, peace, and held us together as a team, especially when our frontrow seat to the suffering became unbearable.

Collectively, what we have all done has been nothing short of wonderful. Together, all of us, you who donated included, changed the lives and eased the suffering of 3000 Hatians. Yes, that's the equivalent of spitting on a forest fire, numerically, but the fact is, we made a difference in 3000 lives. On behalf of our team, I just wanted to say thank you.

And personally- thank you for giving me the opportunity to reach outside myself and my petty day to day concerns to be a part of something so admittedly painful, but yet so wonderfully fulfilling.

For the people of Haiti,

Aaron

Team III is on their way home tomorrow after a long week in Haiti. Now for a 7 hour bus ride followed by several plane hops home. Safe travels Team III!

What a week! Team III has been very busy on the ground and is making some incredible contacts with groups from all over the world. They've been heading out of the camps and setting up mobile clinics, bringing lots of help to lots of needy people. They haven't been without their bumps, bruises and little illnesses, but they're seeing through the hardships and doing lots of good. On the home front, we're making good progress establishing contacts with medical suppliers, and figuring out how to best move forward on the financial front. We're continually impressed with everybody's willingness to jump right in and help! Stay posted.

Team III, Day 4

Team III has found a bit of a different situation than they originally expected! They're currently running and working in an improvised ED within a field hospital that has become one of the premier healthcare facilities in Port Au Prince! In addition to all the things you would normally expect of a paramedic in the field, they've found themselves assisting in areas they never expected, including anesthesia in the OR. They've been very well received by the physicians and the Haitians and are having a very good experience. Stay posted!

Team III Update, Day 3

Team III has made its way from the Dominican Republic into Haiti. It's been quite an experience already and the journey apparently gave rise to many entertaining memories. 7 hours squished into a tiny car, over terrible roads with a driver "found" in the DR apparently makes for quite the adventure! Team III was greeted warmly by the NOAH doctors on arrival and were apparently put right to work right away evaluating a new mom and baby. They were then told by the NOAH physicians that they can expect to see 160 and 600 patients every day! What an overwhelming experience. According to Aaron Espy, one Team III's paramedics, "Things are improving, but these people still need us so badly!" Dinner with the NOAH doctors was followed, I'm sure, by well deserved rest. Good job Team III!

Team III Update

Team III has touched down in the Dominican Republic! They're currently doing their best to wait patiently for their ride to the border, making final preparations to their gear and equipment and staying positive. The satellite phone is working great, and no problems so far with equipment. The airline loved them apparently and had no problem getting all their oversized kit on board. Stay posted for more!

Team III Leaves

Team III is headed out the door! Lead by Disaster Response Northwest Co-Founder Armadeus Davidson, this dynamic group of paramedics is prepared to start work tomorrow, seeing up to 300 patients a day in a Port au Prince field hospital. Team members for this mission include Aaron Espy, Travis Beach, Greg Reiman, and Joe and Brianne Hoffman. Please keep them all in your thoughts. Stay posted for updates as they come in.

Vounteers Needed!

Haiti needs people, and Disaster Response Northwest is trying to fill that need! We're looking for healthcare providers of all levels, but particularly mid-level and prehospital professions to fill spots on teams in March, April, and May.

Requirements:

-Current certified/licensed healthcare provider
-Motivation;
-Flexibility;
-Sense of adventure!

If you're interested, email me at jakegillanders@gmail.com.

G-