posted on September 9, 2005 07:47:50 PM new
Royal Canadian Mounted Police were one of the FIRST groups to reach the disaster area!
Thank you!
And:Canada's response to Hurricane Katrina
Frequently Asked Questions
What medical supplies is the Government of Canada prepared to offer in the event of a formal request by the United States?
The Public Health Agency of Canada has offered supplies from the National Emergency Stockpile System (NESS) to assist in the hurricane relief efforts. U.S. health counterparts will inform the Public Health Agency of Canada shortly if they require assistance, and will provide us with a list of their possible requirements.
The NESS contains everything that you would expect to find in a hospital, from beds and blankets to a supply of pharmaceuticals and a range of antibiotics. It includes 165 “field hospitals”, or mobile hospitals, with 200 beds in each. These are positioned throughout the country. The units can be deployed on short notice (within 24 hours) to be set up in existing buildings such as schools and community centres.
NESS supplies can be set up within 24 hours depending on the size and destination of assistance. The offer of assistance will not jeopardize Canada’s emergency readiness.
In the past, contents from the NESS have been used to help address the urgent needs brought on by other crises, such as the tsunami in Southeast Asia, the 9/11 attacks and the SARS outbreak.
What is the federal government doing to ensure that Canadians in the affected areas are safe?
The Consulates-General in Dallas and Atlanta have been in touch with approximately 50 Canadians in the affected areas of the U.S., and report that ALL are safe.
Canadians seeking emergency consular assistance in the area should contact the Emergency Operations Centre in Ottawa toll-free at 1 888 949-9993 or call collect (613) 996-8885. Canadians with good reason to believe that Canadian relatives are in the affected areas may contact the Emergency Operations Centre at 1 800 387-3124; (613) 943-1055 in Ottawa ; or by e-mail [email protected] .
What support is the Canadian Forces prepared to offer to the U.S. to support the U.S. relief efforts?
Canadian Forces units that may be called upon to deploy in support of the relief effort are on stand-by. They are preparing air and sea assets in order to move in the area if requested.
The DART, which responds to natural disasters domestically and internationally when called upon, could be deployed within approximately 48 hours. Being deployed to assist with water purification efforts is just one aspect of the DART’s multi-faceted capabilities.
Has there been discussion of sending federal Canadian policing authorities to help U.S. authorities to control looting in the affected areas?
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has not received any official request for that type of assistance. If that situation were to change, the RCMP would become involved at the request of Foreign Affairs Canada.
What is the federal government saying to Canadians who want to make a charitable contribution to the hurricane relief efforts?
The most effective way for Canadians to assist in the relief efforts is through financial donations. Canadians can make a financial contribution towards hurricane disaster relief efforts by contacting agencies like the Canadian Red Cross on line at www.redcross.ca or toll free at 1 800 418-1111, or the Salvation Army at www.salvationarmy.ca or toll free at 1 800 725-2769 (in Canada).
The RCMP always advises the public to be cautious when making charitable donations. Only donations made to a charity registered with the Canadian Revenue Agency will be eligible for an official donation receipt from the charity in order to receive a tax credit or deduction.
Canadians who feel they may have been victimized by a scam charity are advised to call the PhoneBusters National Call Centre at 1 888 495-8501.
Given that the situation in the U.S. is having an effect on gasoline prices, what is Canada doing about this issue?
We recognize that the rising cost of oil and natural gas is very serious issue for Canadian businesses and consumers alike.
Canada is a member of the International Energy Agency (IEA) - an autonomous agency linked with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation (OECD). The IEA member governments are committed to taking joint measures to meet oil supply emergencies, when warranted.
The IEA member countries collectively have the ability to make additional volumes of oil available on the market in order to either ease a supply shortage or ease a price shock. Canada , as a member of the IEA, will continue to work with the IEA secretariat and other members to monitor the situation and take action as required.
Have provinces been involved in US hurricane relief efforts?
The Province of Nova Scotia has sent letters to the governors of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, offering to help with the recovery efforts.
British Columbia’s Vancouver Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team departed August 31 for the State of Louisiana to aid in the recovery efforts. The team consists of 45 members, all trained to the structural collapse technician level. Funding for the Vancouver USAR team has totaled approximately $900,000 to date. A Federal-Provincial Joint Emergency Preparedness Program (JEPP) grant covered fifty per cent of this funding; the rest is funded by city of Vancouver emergency preparedness initiatives.
Emergency Management Ontario will open a Provincial Information Line on September 1 to handle Katrina queries, direct callers to appropriate contacts and record offers of assistance.
New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization will coordinate assistance requests and activities related to the hurricane response on behalf of the Province.
In Quebec , the Premier will send letters of sympathy to the governors of the four affected states and the Minister of International Relations has offered the province’s assistance to the affected states and invited the general public to direct private donations to the Red Cross.
posted on September 9, 2005 08:02:37 PM new Canadians beat U.S. Army to New Orleans Suburb...Also Beat FEMA!
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana (Reuters) - A Canadian search-and-rescue team reached a flooded New Orleans suburb to help save trapped residents five days before the U.S. military, a Louisiana state senator said on Wednesday.
The Canadians beat both the Army and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. disaster response department, to St. Bernard Parish east of New Orleans, where flood waters are still 8 feet deep in places, Sen. Walter Boasso said.
...
"They chartered a plane and flew down," he said.
...
"Fabulous, fabulous guys," Boasso said. "They started rolling with us and got in boats to save people.""They were so glad to be here," he said. "They're still here. They are actually going door-to-door looking in the attics" for people to rescue, he said.
posted on September 10, 2005 09:13:47 AM new
Well, actually Bigpeepa, LindaKKK's post was so...so..nothing ...didn't really say too much. Ha! She couldn't attack so she just blathered
posted on September 10, 2005 11:12:18 AM new
Boy, you people are something else. Youre over here lauding and thanking the canadians, before you even thank your own fellow Americans. There's a whole lot of people from all over the country down there helping and doing grass roots donation drives.
No wonder the democrats cant find their way to win the hearts of American People when its schmucks like you that are what represents them.
.
[ edited by dblfugger9 on Sep 10, 2005 11:12 AM ]
posted on September 10, 2005 11:46:51 AM new
I've read about 12 different articles on different sites and they all report the same story Reuters did...word for word.
Not good writing, not at all informative, imo. They didn't address how these 50 people were allowed in when our own Red Cross and other fellow American's were sent away.
Were we invaded and the general public just hasn't heard about it yet? Appears Canada might have sent their whole military force.
I'm waiting to thank Kuwait...when they give us all that money to rebuild this mess.
50 volunteers from Canada ....who approved them to come down? The Reuters report doesn't say.
And I totally, 100% agree with you dbl....there are thousands and thousands of US citizen who have taken time off their work to help out. But you don't hear the liberals here cheering THEM on. Nope...but let 50 Canadians, out of how many? 32 million Canadians come down....and boy the ultra-libs here are waving the Canadian flag.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Whenever the nation is under attack, from within or without, liberals side with the enemy. This is their essence." --Ann Coulter
And why the American Voters chose to RE-elect President Bush to four more years. YES!!
posted on September 10, 2005 12:40:30 PM new
"""Might be nice if just ONCE you knew what you were spewing. But I haven't seen you make an intelligent post yet."""
Ya, and your opinion is SOOO respected in here
Right back at ya lonely, desperate one:
""Might be nice if just ONCE you knew what you were spewing. But I haven't seen you make an intelligent post yet."""
posted on September 10, 2005 02:27:18 PM newHuh? Nobody's thanking the Canadians instead of the Americans, silly.
Kraft, show me on this board where there is one word of thanks, or gratitude to all the Americans helping out? None. Only one thing I noticed and that came from me about the USCG.
posted on September 10, 2005 02:42:43 PM new
So in your mind, if another country is praised for doing something, you should make sure your own country is equally praised?
Anyway, when people talk about what other countries have helped the U.S., wouldn't it be a given that that includes the country they're helping?
posted on September 10, 2005 03:19:06 PM newif another country is praised for doing something, you should make sure your own country is equally praised?
kraft, I understand this post was mostly to niggle Linda about canada. But to answer you question: Yes, give credit where credit is due.
So many people have been putting in very long hours and have shown some great dedication toward making this right for the people who have lost so much. But somehow you think it's only noteworthy to make a post about-what?-fifty canadians that made their way down there, without mentioning anywhere about what others have done? I think it's a sore lack of gratitude on your-(all of you hoo'ing and high-fiving!) -part. So no, I dont think it's a given at all. There's something fundamentally wrong with just constant complaint against this country and its citizens. Thats what you democrats never friggen get!!
posted on September 10, 2005 03:42:58 PM new "There's something fundamentally wrong with just constant complaint against this country and its citizens. Thats what you democrats never friggen get!!
It's not a constant complaint against the country but rather a constant complaint against the Bush administration because they are fundamentally wrong This news is significant to me because it illustrates the speed with which the Canadians were able to respond and provide help while FEMA sat on it's ass and let people drown. Canada deserves thanks for their effort which was planned before the hurricane hit land.
posted on September 10, 2005 04:39:56 PM new
Hey defogger, I say, What NEOcons like you don't get is Democrats like me love America and want all Americans to do well not just a select MINORITY.
BTW,I just came back from the Pittsburgh Irish Festival. I bought a bumper there that says it all for me. It says
posted on September 10, 2005 04:48:19 PM new
The fact that Canada was prepared and ready to help doesn't diminish the help given by any other individual or organization. To think otherwise or try to make an issue over who helped more is being silly, insecure and childish. Germany had a rescue team that was ready to go also and last I heard they were frustrated that their calls were still not heeded 10 days later.
Although Canada's military is ridiculed by some here, they are respected worldwide. Hopefully they will lead the way in showing the world that it's better to save lives than needlessly destroy them. Last I heard, they have sent helicopters, ships, over 1000 pesonnel and a 40 man military diving team to the hurricane area and some are expected to stay at least 3 months.
More of Canada's military contributions to the US and worldwide can be viewed here. It could be a tutorial for lindak who ridicules Canada the most and openly displays such utmost ignorance about her own neighbor.
posted on September 10, 2005 05:12:15 PM new
Double, isn't the real point that Canada and other countries were ready to help while Katrina was still at sea, yet your own government APPEARED to not be prepared even with knowing days in advance that it was going to be a disaster? Knowing in advance was the key. If there was NO warning, it shows how unprepared your disaster efforts would be and to me that's a good thing because it shows where improvement is needed.
I agree with Kiara. Anyone that helps is doing a great thing.
posted on September 10, 2005 05:14:03 PM newThis news is significant to me because it illustrates the speed with which the Canadians were able to respond and provide help
Well what about the coast guard, Helen? They were in there pulling people out as the water was filling up tuesday night! The local police fire and rescue workers weretrying to do something, except people were shooting at them, and they had no communications, electricity, cars, or anything to work with.
The fact that Canada was prepared and ready to help doesn't diminish the help given by any other individual or organization. To think otherwise or try to make an issue over who helped more is being silly, insecure and childish.
It's not about who helped 'more' kiara. But of course, you cannot read or comprehend anything beyond superficial level, and you dont even do that particulary well. Save your lecturing for somebody who cares. Like who really cares about Canada and what.. they were prepared and ready to do? and that Hopefully they will lead the way in showing the world...anything? I sure dont.
posted on September 10, 2005 05:22:02 PM newyet your own government APPEARED to not be prepared even with knowing days in advance that it was going to be a disaster? Knowing in advance was the key.
Kraftdinner, in case you are unaware, #1 - New Orleans survived the hurricane with minimal damage, it was only when the levies broke that it became a disaster and NOBODY, the local, state, feds, - were thinking that was going to happen. #2 - if you want to blame the government, then you have to start at the local and state level. It's been said 5x's already on this board, that is the procedure. The state has to call on the federal govt before it moves in. You may not like it, but thats how the procedure goes, and its been that way with all states.
.
[ edited by dblfugger9 on Sep 10, 2005 05:22 PM ]
posted on September 10, 2005 05:25:10 PM new
You clipped my quote in half...Dbl.
I said, This news is significant to me because it illustrates the speed with which the Canadians were able to respond and provide help while FEMA sat on it's ass and let people drown.
posted on September 10, 2005 05:26:20 PM newSave your lecturing for somebody who cares. Like who really cares about Canada and what.. they were prepared and ready to do? and that Hopefully they will lead the way in showing the world...anything? I sure dont.
dblfugger, it's certainly not a lecture by me and it's too bad you choose to read it that way because of your own insecurity. And I wouldn't expect you to care, dblfugger....... or to understand, for that matter. But the people in St. Bernard Parish where about 30,000 homes were flooded did care when the urban search and rescue team from Vancouver, B.C. arrived and led the rescue efforts ....... lives were saved and in the end that's what really counts.
GOV. BLANCO ASKS BUSH TO DECLARE FEDERAL STATE OF EMERGENCY IN LOUISIANA: “I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and affected local governments, and that supplementary Federal assistance is necessary to save lives, protect property, public health, and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a disaster.”
5AM CDT — KATRINA UPGRADED TO CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE [CNN]
GOV. BLANCO ASKS BUSH TO DECLARE FEDERAL STATE OF EMERGENCY IN LOUISIANA: “I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and affected local governments, and that supplementary Federal assistance is necessary to save lives, protect property, public health, and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a disaster.”
Office of the Governor
FEDERAL EMERGENCY DECLARED, DHS AND FEMA GIVEN FULL AUTHORITY TO RESPOND TO KATRINA: “Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.” [White House]
White House
Appears Canada might have sent their whole military force.