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DE RUEHPU #0082/01 0250243
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O 250241Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0059
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0254
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INFO RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
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RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000082 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID ECON PGOV PINR PREL PREF HA
SUBJECT: USAID/DART Overview of Search and Rescue Operations in Haiti 
 
REF: PORT A 0054; PORT A 0058; PORT A 0060 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary.  Despite January 22, U.N. and media reports that 
the Government of Haiti (GoH) has declared the end of the search 
and rescue phase, multiple urban search and rescue (USAR) teams 
continue to work in Port-au-Prince.  According to the U.N. Disaster 
Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) Team, between January 13 and 
21, international USAR teams rescued a total of 132 people, of 
which 47 individuals were by rescued by U.S.-based USAR teams.  As 
the international focus shifted from rescue to relief activities, 
U.S. USAR teams began departing Haiti, with two of six teams 
leaving on January 23, followed by two more on January 24. 
Although the majority of remaining international USAR teams are 
expected to depart in the coming weeks, a small group of U.S. USAR 
personnel will remain in-country to conduct assessments of damaged 
public buildings and provide training and equipment to local first 
responders, in coordination with the GoH. End Summary. 
 
 
 
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SHIFTING FROM RESCUE TO RELIEF 
 
------------------------------ 
 
 
 
¶2.  (U) According to UNDAC, the GoH announced the end of the search 
and rescue phase at 1600 hours local time on January 22.  However, 
GoH officials subsequently informed the U.S. Embassy that the GoH 
has not officially terminated search and rescue operations.  UNDAC 
reports that between January 13 and 21, international USAR teams 
rescued 132 people in total, of which 47 were rescued by U.S. USAR 
teams.  The total UNDAC figure does not include two rescues that 
occurred on January 22 and January 23 by Israeli and French USAR 
teams, respectively. 
 
 
 
¶3.  (U) At the peak of the search and rescue phase, 67 
international USAR teams, comprising 1,918 staff and 160 dogs, were 
operating in Haiti, according to UNDAC.  Although UNDAC reports 
that the number of international USAR teams in Haiti has 
significantly decreased in recent days, USAID has been unable to 
confirm the exact number of teams remaining in-country.  USAID's 
Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART) reported that, on 
January 23, the search and rescue component of the On-Site 
Operations Coordination Center (OSOCC), the organization 
responsible for dispatching and coordinating search and rescue 
requests, concluded operations. 
 
 
 
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U.S. USAR TEAMS 
 
--------------- 
 
 
 
¶4.  (U) On January 12, immediately following the 7.0 magnitude 
earthquake in Haiti, USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster 
Assistance (USAID/OFDA) began activating U.S. USAR teams for 
immediate deployment to Port-au-Prince.  Between January 13 and 16, 
six U.S.-based USAR teams with 506 personnel and 29 search dogs 
arrived in Haiti.  The six U.S. teams included a 114-person team 
from the Fairfax County Fire Department, a 72-person team from Los 
Angeles (L.A.) County Fire Department, an 80-person team from 
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, an 80-person team from South Florida, an 
80-person team from the Virginia Beach Fire and Rescue Department, 
and an 80-person team from the New York City Fire and Police 
departments. 
 
 
 
¶5.  (U) To help establish an UNDAC base of operations, USAID/OFDA 
also authorized and funded the deployment of a three-person 
Americas Support Team to Haiti, staffed by the Fairfax County Fire 
Department.  In addition, the Fairfax and L.A. County fire 
departments seconded two staff members to UNDAC to assist with 
 
operations and coordination throughout the response. 
 
 
 
¶6.  (U) USAID/OFDA has provided more than $36 million in support of 
American search and rescue teams deployed to Haiti, in addition to 
annual funding provided to the Fairfax and L.A. County fire 
departments for USAR training and activities. 
 
 
 
¶7.  (U) USAID/OFDA has also provided millions of dollars in support 
of training for search and rescue teams based in Latin America and 
the Caribbean, in coordination with the International Search and 
Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG).  Of the 67 international search 
and rescue teams deployed to Haiti, teams from at least five 
countries have received training funded by USAID/OFDA.  (Note: 
USAID/DART team leader Tim Callaghan has served as the chairman of 
INSARAG Americas since May, 2003. End note.) 
 
 
 
¶8.  (U) Preparations for the demobilization and departure of the 
U.S. USAR teams in Haiti continues.  The New York and Virginia 
Beach-based teams departed Haiti on January 23.  The Miami-Dade and 
South Florida teams departed on January 24.  The USAID/DART is 
evaluating a final departure schedule for the remaining two USAR 
teams from Fairfax and L.A. counties. 
 
 
 
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ANALYSIS OF SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS 
 
---------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶9.  (U) Recent search and rescue operations in Haiti are 
unprecedented, resulting in the largest number of known rescues in 
an international response.  To the surprise of many, live rescues 
were still conducted 11 days after the earthquake, far surpassing 
the expected 72-hour window of survival.  On January 17, U.S. USAR 
teams conducted a record-breaking 12 rescues - five days (120 
hours) after the earthquake.  (Note: Although there have been 
instances of trapped individuals surviving for approximately 15 
days in collapsed buildings, USAR experts indicate that the lack of 
rainwater and high temperature in Haiti significantly reduce the 
chances of finding others alive. End note.) 
 
 
 
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NEXT STEPS 
 
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¶10.  (U) In coordination with the GoH and local fire authorities, 
U.S. USAR teams plan to leave behind a significant cache of 
equipment for donation to local first responders.  In addition, 15 
U.S. USAR staff members, including six structural engineers and two 
members each from the Miami-Dade, Fairfax, and L.A. County fire 
departments, will remain in-country to train Haitian fire and 
rescue personnel in the use of the donated equipment.  The 
15-person team will continue to assess damaged buildings in and 
around Port-au-Prince - particularly hospitals, schools, and other 
public buildings - to ensure they are safe for continued occupancy 
and use.  Wherever possible, U.S. USAR personnel will provide 
technical assistance for building stabilization efforts.  In 
addition, should a rescue operation become necessary, the combined 
U.S. USAR team remains fully equipped and ready to respond. 
MERTEN