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Update on Hurricanes Helene and Milton Response & How You Can Help

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2024-10-10

CMAT wanted to provide an important update on our response to hurricanes Helene and Milton, which have severely impacted parts of the southeastern United States. As you may know, the situation on the ground remains dire, with significant damage to infrastructure, homes, and communities.

Unfortunately, due to professional and regulatory restrictions, CMAT is unable to deploy our Canadian medical teams to assist. However, we are working closely with our American partners and remain committed to supporting the response efforts in any way we can.

We encourage those of you who are eager to help, to consider donating to our verified PAHO Emergency Medical Team (EMT) partner organizations from the US, who are actively providing critical support in the affected areas.

These teams are working tirelessly to deliver medical aid, supplies, and assistance to communities in need: (links below) 

Heart to Heart International

Team Rubicon – Fire Adapted Colorado

International Medical Corps... - International Medical Corps

Americares Emergency Response Partners | Americares

For those who wish to donate to CMAT for our ongoing preparations for disaster response and obtain a receipt for tax purposes, please visit our donations page at: www.cmat.ca/donate

Each of these organizations is making a significant difference on the ground, and your contributions will directly support their ongoing efforts.

Thank you for your continued dedication and support during these challenging times. Together, we can make a meaningful impact and help the affected communities recover.

CMAT and HF Emergency Medical Team begins clinical operations in Honduras

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2020-11-22 – San Pedro Sula, Honduras: Today’s update is courtesy of Team Leader Brian Wilson: “CMAT – Canadian Medical Assistance Teams and Humanity First Canada setup for another day of running our EMT Type 1 Mobile clinic just outside of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, in response to Hurricanes Eta & Iota, and the resulting flooding that has killed dozens of people and displaced thousands.

“In a time of a world-wide pandemic, this has compounded the disaster in this country. Our teams of volunteers have taken vacation from their jobs, and left their families, to respond to this dire humanitarian emergency, acknowledging the risks, and even accepting that when we get home we will have to quarantine for another two weeks.

“I am humbled to work alongside such a great group of clinicians and logisticians who share a common desire to serve humanity, save lives, and make the world a little bit of a better place. This is all possible because of generous donations, we are completely donor funded and volunteer staffed.”

Patients assessed today included an elder in a remote mountainous village, who was unable to attend clinic due to mobility issues. CMAT and Humanity First Clinicians conducted a home visit to assess the patient.

Donations gratefully accepted at https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/42951

CMAT/ HF Team arrives in Honduras – local roads impassable

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Traffic and Pedestrians are stranded on a major highway which was washed out by Hurricane Iota.

2020-11-17 – La Entrada, Honduras (With special thanks to the HF/CMAT Team Leader Brian Wilson for this update):

“This morning we woke up to find out that all internet into our region was down. This means that we had no wifi, and no cellular data, which is important because these days a LOT of coordination is done using WhatsApp which requires data. We went back to “old school” methods, like SMS messages and calling people… (sheesh, it’s like we were back in the dark ages!)

We requested that CICOM provide us with a police escort to get us the last 2.5 hours into San Pedro Sula. Unfortunately they told us the bridges were not passable. We then sent a team to investigate the situation first-hand, and found that 15 minutes out of town, the only highway was completely flooded. We explored options of trying to find another way, by going further south, but have been told that highway is also impassable.

In the meantime, using SMS to relay messages through another NGO, we confirmed that CICOM knew where we were, and they have now requested that we setup to provide medical clinics in the immediate region until access into San Pedro Sula can be logistically sorted out. We have been contacted by a local medical officer, who stated they would be in contact tomorrow to coordinate our efforts. Below is a short video showing the flooded road as viewed by our Deputy Team Lead, Hassan Naeem. Tomorrow is a new day, and the team looks forward to getting to work while we wait for instructions on how best to reach the hardest hit regions.”

Donate here: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/42951 or via e-transer/PayPal to [email protected]

CMAT and HF Emergency Medical Team arrives in Toronto.

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2020-11-16 – Toronto, ON. The CMAT and Humanity First Canada Collaborative Emergency Medical Team gathered in Toronto this evening to prepare for tomorrow’s team deployment to Honduras. Good luck team!! 

Please Donate here: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/42951 or via e-transfer/ PayPal at [email protected]