Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
In the wake of Hurricane Melissa. At least thirty deaths
have been reported across the Caribbean.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Hurricane Melissa left a trail of destruction, flooded out homes,
widespread power outages, and limited resources. Joining us on the
KWA commits Spirit Health Hotline as a Von Rodriguez executive
advisor at the nonprofit humanitarian organization called Direct Relief in
the Caribbean AVON.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Appreciate your time this morning.
Speaker 4 (00:24):
Hi, thank you for having me. Good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
I know getting to Jamaica to begin with was a
challenge with the airports and obviously getting out for tourists
and for those who are still there. Explain where you're
at currently and just the planning process that went through
in order to help with aid.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
Yes, it's been one of the biggest challenges right now
has been logistics, ensuring that essential medical supplies and equipment
reached the hardest hit areas as quickly as possible, especially
where infrastructure and power remain compromise. Our team is also
navigating limited transport capacity, community caation disruptions, and the need
(01:02):
to coordinate with multiple partners at the same time to
avoid duplication and make sure eight gates gets there where
it's needed the most. At the moment, myself and the
three other colleagues are on our way to Miami and
we should be in Jamaica tomorrow to start coordinating logistics
and receive the rest of the shipments that we have
(01:23):
already sent to Jamaica.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
What are you hearing about? What the current situation in
Jamaica is right now?
Speaker 4 (01:31):
Unfortunate devastations throughout infrastructure damages in Jamaica. At least four
hospitals suffered significant damages, which is reason for serious concerns
as damage to healthcare infrastructure can have long lasting impact
in post disaster settings. Experience has taught us at the
(01:52):
belief that the primary cost of death during these events
like hurricanes is not necessarily the impact of the hurricane itself,
but what comes in the aftermath. Due to the lack
of continuity of medical services. In Puerto Rico, for example,
after Hurricane Maria, more than forty six hundred people died
because pharmacies work, closed, health centers were without power, lack
(02:14):
of services for people that suffer from chronic conditions diabetes, hypertension, avon.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
You mentioned Hurricane Maria.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
I know that this is not your first rodeo when
it comes to dealing with these past disaster response and
the assistance that takes place. So, how do you expect
Hurricane Melissa may compare in the hurricane recovery efforts or
what is the next steps once you do arrive in
order to make sure that the devastation can be you know,
you can help those amidst all the devastation that you're
(02:43):
talking about.
Speaker 4 (02:45):
Yes, we have been preparing for this, right because unfortunately,
with all of the changes with climate, we know, right
this is not a question of if, this is a
question of when it's going to happen. Right, So we
have been preparing and in Jamaica, for example, we have
been in communications with the Ministry of Health for some
(03:08):
time now and sharing the experiences that we had in
Puerto Rico and in Jamaica. For example, we allocated three
million dollars towards projects that are in preparedness, so projects
like for example, solar power and panels and battery back
(03:29):
up to our warehouse that stores medicine. We have put generators,
generators in health clinics. We donated a mobile medical unit,
which is you know, a specialized vehicle. In Puerto Rico.
They were key in the response because as you know,
like with with the floodings and trees in the roads
and people, it's it's harder for people to get to
(03:52):
the health centers and to the hospitals, So it was
easier for us to move doctors and medicines to the
communities and just attend to the needs of the communities
with these vehicles. So we have been preparing for this
and we at the moment we have about sixty million
dollars worth of medication ready to be deployed everywhere in
(04:15):
the Caribbean, specifically Jamaica, Haiti and the places that have
been impacted and will continue to be impacted. In this
couple of next days.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
You talked about your experience with past responses. How do
you think Hurricane Melissa compares to other previous hurricane recovery efforts.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
So in the case of Puerto Rico, right, we suffered
in Hurricane Maria was a lot of wind damage. Hurricane
Fiona was a lot of water damage. Here with Melissa
has been both were both islands, right, So it's that
complicates matter, right because all of the eight takes time
(04:56):
to get into these islands, and logistics and preparation is key,
So we are going to be there tomorrow. So once
we get there tomorrow and we have a better assessment
of the needs and at a better assessment of what's
going on with the hospitals and the clinics, we'll be
able to better manage the logistics of all of the
(05:18):
aid coming in. But yeah, it's it's very sad and
devastation everywhere. So Direct really continues to be you know,
supporting these nations in the Caribbean avon.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
And wrapping up with you.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Obviously, listeners probably can't be boots on the ground like
you can in your organization.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
But are there ways that people can help during this time?
Speaker 4 (05:41):
Yes, Direct Really is privately funded, so we depend on
the donations from individuals and private companies to continue our work.
And people can go and visit our web page at
Direct Reliefs dot org Directly dot org for more information.
Will continue posting the aid that we have already provided
and the efforts, the continuous efforts, and you know, information
(06:05):
on our trip tomorrow, so people can go into our
website and read more about it.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
Yvon, thanks for the update this morning.
Speaker 4 (06:15):
Thank you, Thank you for having me. Have a great morning.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Yvon Rodriguez is the executive director at the Executive Advisor
I Should Say at the nonprofit humanitarian organization Direct Relief
In the wake of Hurricane Melissa. At least thirty deaths
have been reported across the Caribbean.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Hurricane Melissa left a trail of destruction, flooded out homes,
widespread power outages, and limited resources. Joining us on the
KWA commits Spirit Health Hotline as a Von Rodriguez executive
advisor at the nonprofit humanitarian organization called Direct Relief in
the Caribbean AVON.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Appreciate your time this morning.
Speaker 4 (00:24):
Hi, thank you for having me. Good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
I know getting to Jamaica to begin with was a
challenge with the airports and obviously getting out for tourists
and for those who are still there. Explain where you're
at currently and just the planning process that went through
in order to help with aid.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
Yes, it's been one of the biggest challenges right now
has been logistics, ensuring that essential medical supplies and equipment
reached the hardest hit areas as quickly as possible, especially
where infrastructure and power remain compromise. Our team is also
navigating limited transport capacity, community caation disruptions, and the need
(01:02):
to coordinate with multiple partners at the same time to
avoid duplication and make sure eight gates gets there where
it's needed the most. At the moment, myself and the
three other colleagues are on our way to Miami and
we should be in Jamaica tomorrow to start coordinating logistics
and receive the rest of the shipments that we have
(01:23):
already sent to Jamaica.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
What are you hearing about? What the current situation in
Jamaica is right now?
Speaker 4 (01:31):
Unfortunate devastations throughout infrastructure damages in Jamaica. At least four
hospitals suffered significant damages, which is reason for serious concerns
as damage to healthcare infrastructure can have long lasting impact
in post disaster settings. Experience has taught us at the
(01:52):
belief that the primary cost of death during these events
like hurricanes is not necessarily the impact of the hurricane itself,
but what comes in the aftermath. Due to the lack
of continuity of medical services. In Puerto Rico, for example,
after Hurricane Maria, more than forty six hundred people died
because pharmacies work, closed, health centers were without power, lack
(02:14):
of services for people that suffer from chronic conditions diabetes, hypertension, avon.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
You mentioned Hurricane Maria.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
I know that this is not your first rodeo when
it comes to dealing with these past disaster response and
the assistance that takes place. So, how do you expect
Hurricane Melissa may compare in the hurricane recovery efforts or
what is the next steps once you do arrive in
order to make sure that the devastation can be you know,
you can help those amidst all the devastation that you're
(02:43):
talking about.
Speaker 4 (02:45):
Yes, we have been preparing for this, right because unfortunately,
with all of the changes with climate, we know, right
this is not a question of if, this is a
question of when it's going to happen. Right, So we
have been preparing and in Jamaica, for example, we have
been in communications with the Ministry of Health for some
(03:08):
time now and sharing the experiences that we had in
Puerto Rico and in Jamaica. For example, we allocated three
million dollars towards projects that are in preparedness, so projects
like for example, solar power and panels and battery back
(03:29):
up to our warehouse that stores medicine. We have put generators,
generators in health clinics. We donated a mobile medical unit,
which is you know, a specialized vehicle. In Puerto Rico.
They were key in the response because as you know,
like with with the floodings and trees in the roads
and people, it's it's harder for people to get to
(03:52):
the health centers and to the hospitals, So it was
easier for us to move doctors and medicines to the
communities and just attend to the needs of the communities
with these vehicles. So we have been preparing for this
and we at the moment we have about sixty million
dollars worth of medication ready to be deployed everywhere in
(04:15):
the Caribbean, specifically Jamaica, Haiti and the places that have
been impacted and will continue to be impacted. In this
couple of next days.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
You talked about your experience with past responses. How do
you think Hurricane Melissa compares to other previous hurricane recovery efforts.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
So in the case of Puerto Rico, right, we suffered
in Hurricane Maria was a lot of wind damage. Hurricane
Fiona was a lot of water damage. Here with Melissa
has been both were both islands, right, So it's that
complicates matter, right because all of the eight takes time
(04:56):
to get into these islands, and logistics and preparation is key,
So we are going to be there tomorrow. So once
we get there tomorrow and we have a better assessment
of the needs and at a better assessment of what's
going on with the hospitals and the clinics, we'll be
able to better manage the logistics of all of the
(05:18):
aid coming in. But yeah, it's it's very sad and
devastation everywhere. So Direct really continues to be you know,
supporting these nations in the Caribbean avon.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
And wrapping up with you.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Obviously, listeners probably can't be boots on the ground like
you can in your organization.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
But are there ways that people can help during this time?
Speaker 4 (05:41):
Yes, Direct Really is privately funded, so we depend on
the donations from individuals and private companies to continue our work.
And people can go and visit our web page at
Direct Reliefs dot org Directly dot org for more information.
Will continue posting the aid that we have already provided
and the efforts, the continuous efforts, and you know, information
(06:05):
on our trip tomorrow, so people can go into our
website and read more about it.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
Yvon, thanks for the update this morning.
Speaker 4 (06:15):
Thank you, Thank you for having me. Have a great morning.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Yvon Rodriguez is the executive director at the Executive Advisor
I Should Say at the nonprofit humanitarian organization Direct Relief
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