November 2016 - Canadian Medical Assistance Teams

CMAT Response Team in Haïti: Travelling to the remote western regions

2016 - Haiti Hurricane Matthew, News

CMAT Response team members (L-R) Marc Dupuis, Martin Metz, local driver, Kate Auger departing Jérémie for Le Irois, Haïti.

November 9, 2016 – Jérémie, Haïti – The Team arrived in Jérémie over the weekend, and spent a restful night graciously hosted by friends at the Centre Pastoral et Catechetique Maria Stella Maris. We thank the community centre for allowing our team to set up their tents indoors, allowing them to stay dry! While staying at the centre before the next day’s journey, they helped to clear the community centre area of debris, and several large fallen trees which were toppled during the hurricane. (Click on thumbnails to view larger image)

Team leader Martin Metz, who aside from being a Paramedic is also an experienced arborist used our donated chainsaw to create “Canadian Chairs” for the community centre!

Through government contacts, and the UN Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) Cluster, the team identified a remote community in the westernmost tip of southern Haïti which needed access to clean water. Deployments like this can sometimes be challenging, and this was no exception. The team faced torrential downpours, winding mountain roads, and even two flat tires! But the team kept calm, and carried on with smiles and spirits intact!

CMAT Response team in Haïti: Arrival in Jérémie

2016 - Haiti Hurricane Matthew

CMAT has safely arrived in Jérémie! A big thank you to our transport team.

CMAT Response Team has safely arrived in Jérémie! A big thank you to our transport team.

November 5, 2016 – Jérémie, Haïti:

CMAT Response team visited several areas in the vicinity of Port au Prince, to scout potential locations for the Nomad water purification unit. One of the areas visited was Léogâne, where CMAT ran a field hospital in the immediate aftermath of the 2010 Earthquake. (click on thumbnails to view larger images)

BC Paramedic and CMAT Team Leader Martin Metz discussed possible locations for Nomad Water Purification Unit. There are many NGOs on the ground working together to ensure all areas are properly assessed and obtain the appropriate support. CMAT prides itself on ensuring strong collaborative partnerships with local groups and other international responders.

Meanwhile, Kate Auger (NP, Ontario) and Marc Dupuis (Firefighter, Quebec) met with several local groups to learn of local initiatives and discuss potential collaborative projects.

Kate Auger met with FDS Haiti (el Fuego del Sol) to discuss potential long term medical projects in the Dominican Republic, to help meet the primary needs of displaced Haitians. Stand-by for updates on this potential project and how you may get involved. Shown here is just one of many sustainable development projects FDS Haiti has been working on. These cooking stoves extend the flame and heat by 60-90mins and convert briquettes into charcoal. Thank you to Kevin Adair, President of FDS Haiti for the wonderful demonstration.

After lengthy discussion with the Canadian Embassy in Port au Prince, representatives of the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) cluster, and Logistics cluster, it was decided that the team would venture out to the remote region around Jérémie, estimated to be approximately 8 hours drive south of Port au Prince.

CMAT loaded up its medical supplies and Nomad Water Purification system for the journey to Jérémie, and once in Jérémie, CMAT will meet with the local WaSH cluster representatives to finalize its final deployment location.

CMAT continues to appeal for donations to help offset the cost of this project. Please donate generously.

CMAT Response Team in Haïti: Arrival in Port au Prince

2016 - Haiti Hurricane Matthew

Huge thanks to Air Transat for transporting our water purification system, and team to Haiti earlier this week!

November 3-4, 2016 – Port au Prince, Haïti: CMAT’s Response team arrived earlier this week in Port-au-Prince, Haïti, accompanied by a large-capacity water purification unit.

Departing from Montreal, the team was delighted to learn that Air Transat not only waived their excess baggage fees, but also donated the cost of cargo shipping for the 600lb unit! HUGE thanks to Air Transat for helping CMAT with this project! (click on Thumbnails to see larger image)

A big thank you to Air Transat for waiving our baggage fees, and for transporting our water purification system, and team to Haiti earlier this week! Starting our deployment to Haiti on a very positive note.

Once the team arrived in Port-au-Prince, the next challenge was to move the 600lb unit out of Customs and into temporary storage. Our long-time friend and colleague Jean-Evens Cheridor worked tirelessly to assist our team in this stage of logistics.

A big help thank you Evens and his family for helping CMAT obtain the Nomad Water Purification Unit from Customs in Haiti. Amazing team work. CMAT’s Nomad water purification unit is moved from customs to temporary storage in Port au Prince, while the team scouts locations for its placement.

First morning in Port-au-Prince, important meetings were attended by CMATers Kate Auger and Marc Dupuis, while Team Leader Martin Metz visited potential project locations.

Marc Dupuis Firefighter from Quebec and Kate Auger NP from Ontario attending early morning meeting with other NGOs to determine local projects in the area. Marc also spent some time organizing medical supply donations while at Haiti Communitere. These supplies were graciously donated by La Coop des Paramédics de l’Outaouais. and purchased by friends of CMAT through Health Partners International, Canada.

CMAT continues to appeal for donations to help offset the cost of this project. Donations are gratefully accepted at CanadaHelps.org

Canadian volunteers from CMAT headed to Haiti to provide humanitarian relief.

2016 - Haiti Hurricane Matthew

CMAT Team departing Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport for Haiti
When: Wednesday November 2, 07:00
Where: Air Transat check-in counter

CMAT Director Dave Johnson sending off the high-capacity water purification unit to Haiti.

MONTREAL Nov 1, 2016 – Members of Canadian Medical Assistance Teams (CMAT) will be departing early Wednesday (November 2) for Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, accompanied by a large-capacity water purification unit, and other relief supplies.

On October 4th, Hurricane Matthew violently struck Haiti and resulted in the country’s largest humanitarian emergency since the 2010 earthquake. While the immediate health impact of the disaster was managed locally, CMAT has since been collaborating with local and international agencies, helping to coordinate a response to relieve the suffering of those affected by the Hurricane, and support the population through the anticipated longer-term health consequences of the storm.

CMAT’s Response Team consists of 3 members from across Canada:

Martin Metz, Vancouver, BC
Kate Auger, Collingwood, ON
Marc Dupuis, Val Des Monts, QC

With more than a decade of international humanitarian deployment experience among them, the team will be bringing valuable expertise to the region, along with critical water purification equipment to help rebuild the country’s capacity, and address the worsening situation of water-borne illness. To date, the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs have already reported over 3,000 cases of suspected cholera.

CMAT would like to thank the the following partners who have generously assisted CMAT with this deployment: