The ShelterBox Response Team of David Eby (US), Wayne Robinson (US) andMark Pearson (UK), who have been in Haiti's capital since Thursday, tookdelivery of the first ShelterBoxes at Port au Prince airport yesterday.
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The team say twelve of these boxes will be used to build an emergencyfield hospital at the airport.
'We are helping build a field hospital with these tents at the airport,'said Mark Pearson. 'These are desperate conditions, amputations are happeningevery half hour. There's an urgent need for tents at hospitals and this isour first priority.'
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ShelterBox Head of Operations John Leach said: 'The safety of our staffin Haiti is of paramount importance.
'We are working with the agencies on the ground to ensure thatShelterBoxes are not only distributed speedily and efficiently, but that ourteam on the ground is able to work in a safe environment.'
Hundreds more boxes are due to arrive into Port au Prince later todayfrom Miami on a chartered aircraft. Thousands more ShelterBoxes are beingpacked and shipped from ShelterBox HQ in the UK.
ShelterBox Founder and CEO Tom Henderson said: 'The devastation in Haitihas moved everyone here. We now have our boxes on the ground and it's aprivilege to help. The scale of devastation is huge.
'By the sheer grit and determination of our staff and volunteers we havebeen able to respond in record time. Our thanks go to the teams ofvolunteers, as well as to our donors, who have allowed us to do this.
'ShelterBox relies entirely on public donations and people's generosity.We receive no institutional funding and no DEC money. I'd urge, if you can,to help us.'
Public donations are vital to ShelterBox's continuing work around theworld. To make a donation please ring +44(0)300-0300-500 or go tohttp://www.shelterbox.org to donate online and get the latest updates on thecharity's response to the Haiti earthquake.
If you can help support ShelterBox's work around the globe in any way,great or small, please click here.
*For footage of ShelterBoxes arriving in Port au Prince and interviewswith our team on the ground in Haiti, ring Angelina Lambourn on+44(0)1326-569782 or +44(0)7833-050295Veronica Miller +1-941-907-6036 [email protected] http://www.shelterbox.org
SOURCE Shelter Box
