Charter Flight Delivers Shelter Aid to Myanmar
Posted by Tony Gilmore
Capital City Sunrise is proud to be among the first Rotary Clubs in the US to respond to this major humanitarian disaster in Myanmar by sponsoring a full ShelterBox.
ShelterBox USA confirmed arrival of a preapproved charter DC 10 flight into Yangon, Myanmar with load of 1050 ShelterBoxes. The flight originated at East Midlands Airport in Birmingham UK on Wednesday May 14th and arrived in Yangon Airport early Friday AM, May 16th.
Accompanying the Box shipment was US ShelterBox Response team member Patrick Olson from Plymouth, MI. He will be joined in Yangon by a second US SRT team member, David Eby from Nashville, TN on Friday. Both men received special visa permission from Myanmar officials to insure the emergency shelter arrival. The Americans are scheduled to rendezvous with the initial 4 person ShelterBox Response Team from UK who accompanied the first of 400 Boxes received last week. The organization stockpiles Boxes in strategic locations throughout the world to decrease initial disaster response time.
The original UK team was reportedly the first international aid group to gain officially approved access to the disaster- torn nation after the cyclone. To date, ShelterBox personnel have not gained permission to conduct direct distribution in the affected areas. They have been conducting 'Train the Trainer' sessions with Yangon fire and rescue personnel in the proper use of their self-contained portable disaster kit. More than 400 Myanmar 'blue light' personnel have received instruction, with additional training sessions planned. They, in turn, will share their new knowledge with cyclone survivors who receive the big green Boxes.
ShelterBox, a UK-based internationally sponsored disaster relief organization, has gained favor in Myanmar media, where distribution efforts in Yangon area have been shown. Team members report that big construction companies and private corporations are now responsible for major relief and resettlement efforts. Unlike ShelterBox, many NGOs are hampered in any direct donations and have been forced to donate through Myanmar business groups.
Accompanying the Box shipment was US ShelterBox Response team member Patrick Olson from Plymouth, MI. He will be joined in Yangon by a second US SRT team member, David Eby from Nashville, TN on Friday. Both men received special visa permission from Myanmar officials to insure the emergency shelter arrival. The Americans are scheduled to rendezvous with the initial 4 person ShelterBox Response Team from UK who accompanied the first of 400 Boxes received last week. The organization stockpiles Boxes in strategic locations throughout the world to decrease initial disaster response time.
The original UK team was reportedly the first international aid group to gain officially approved access to the disaster- torn nation after the cyclone. To date, ShelterBox personnel have not gained permission to conduct direct distribution in the affected areas. They have been conducting 'Train the Trainer' sessions with Yangon fire and rescue personnel in the proper use of their self-contained portable disaster kit. More than 400 Myanmar 'blue light' personnel have received instruction, with additional training sessions planned. They, in turn, will share their new knowledge with cyclone survivors who receive the big green Boxes.
ShelterBox, a UK-based internationally sponsored disaster relief organization, has gained favor in Myanmar media, where distribution efforts in Yangon area have been shown. Team members report that big construction companies and private corporations are now responsible for major relief and resettlement efforts. Unlike ShelterBox, many NGOs are hampered in any direct donations and have been forced to donate through Myanmar business groups.