Here is the latest on the American Red Cross response to the 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Chile:
The American Red Cross has pledged an initial $50,000 from the International Response Fund to assist communities impacted by today’s earthquake in Chile. We are prepared to take further action as local responders assess the situation.
We are working with the International Federation of Red Cross / Red Crescent to determine if and how the American Red Cross is responding.
To ask for or provide information about US citizens in Chile, contact the US State Dept at 1-888-407-4747.
The Chilean Red Cross is on Twitter. @CruzRojainforma. You can translate here: http://bit.ly/9duK6a.
The Hawaiian Red Cross Chapter is also on Twitter providing updates on resources and how the Red Cross is assisting with tsunami evacuation response if necessary
http://twitter.com/hawaiiredcross.
The Chilean Red Cross has 35 branches in the area affected by the earthquake, and are working with the Chilean government to do flyovers to assess damage and determine response capacity.
There are national Red Cross societies in every country in Latin America, and a regional hub in Panama to deploy supplies.
As in any disaster, the main priorities for the Red Cross, the local government and other community agenices are: search and rescue, immediate shelter needs, and health needs for traumatic injuries.
For the latest news from the American Red Cross, visit the Disaster Online Newsroom.
Below are some key differences between how we respond to domestic disasters versus how we respond to international disasters.
•We are federally mandated to respond to domestic disasters, whereas we must first receive a request for assistance by the affected country’s Red Cross national society before we respond to an international disaster.
•While we operate independent of global Red Cross Movement partners when responding domestically, our international services must be implemented in coordination with global Red Cross Movement partners.
•For domestic disasters, logistics assets are already in place, relief supplies are pre-positioned, and standardized systems are established. For international disasters, logistics systems must be set up in affected country to receive supplies and people. This process depends on in-country infrastructure and capabilities of affected Red Cross national society.
•For domestic disasters, up to thousands of American Red Cross staff and volunteers can be deployed for relief efforts. For international disasters, relief is provided mostly by the affected country’s Red Cross national society; American Red Cross personnel are sent in small teams of pre-trained and pre-qualified specialists to support the affected country’s Red Cross workers.