Dick Axtell
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| posted on 29/12/04 at 10:25 AM |
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Tsunami Disaster Relief??
Wanted to do something positive to help, so contacted REDR, in London.
(REDR - Register of Engineers for disaster Relief).
There was only a recorded message, saying that their offices would re-open on 4th Jan.!!!!!
I fully expected that someone in the organisation would have had the nous to get in, if only to answer the phone!!!
Who's coordinating the effort in the UK??
Work-in-Progress: Changed to Zetec + T9. Still trying!!
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theconrodkid
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| posted on 29/12/04 at 11:41 AM |
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the british embassy in thailand was shut for christmas hollidays 2 days after the diasater 
who cares who wins
pass the pork pies
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krlthms
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| posted on 29/12/04 at 06:18 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Dick Axtell
Wanted to do something positive to help, so contacted REDR, in London.
(REDR - Register of Engineers for disaster Relief).
There was only a recorded message, saying that their offices would re-open on 4th Jan.!!!!!
I fully expected that someone in the organisation would have had the nous to get in, if only to answer the phone!!!
Who's coordinating the effort in the UK??
Good on you Dick; I am full of admiration. It seems that disasters hit people who are least able to cope with them; the poor and the weak. When a
hurricane hits Florida you see million dollar yachts piled into million dollar houses. Here in India and Sri Lanca, you see people whose lives were
already tottering on the edge, having what little pathetic belongings dystroyed.
I think it is significant that this happens as we are celebrating giving and recieving stuff. I think our compassion is being tested.
Once again, Dick, good on you, and please let me know if there anything I can do to help. I have already done the usual sending of cash to some the
relief charities. But if you are planning something less passive, please let me know.
Cheers
KT
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 29/12/04 at 07:47 PM |
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This BBC site lists many websites where donations can be made:
BBC
I'm sure that all contributions will be greatly appreciated...
David
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Dick Axtell
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| posted on 30/12/04 at 05:34 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by krlthms
I have already done the usual sending of cash to some the relief charities. But if you are planning something less passive, please let me
know.
Hi Krithms,
Firstly, I must apologise to REDR staff. Clearly, they HAVE reacted, with a measured and professional approach.
See www.redr.org/redr/news.htm for further details.
Someone evidently decided not to wait for the holiday end.
After a bit more thought, I guess it's clearer now, that the most urgent need is not for engineers, but for medical supplies & personnel.
There will be an urgent demand for those engineers with expertise (unfortunately, not mine) in restoring water supplies.
Which won't stop me making a few more calls, knocking on some doors, to find out where I can help.
Work-in-Progress: Changed to Zetec + T9. Still trying!!
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bigandy
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| posted on 30/12/04 at 05:35 PM |
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I'm not wanting to cause offence, but for things like this I would much rather give help where needed, such as food, clothes, material
things.
in my opinion, too much of the donated money doesn't end up where it was intended (for example, in logistics company's pockets, in
charities bosses pockets etc etc).
Cheers
Andy
Dammit! Too many decisions....
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JoelP
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| posted on 30/12/04 at 05:59 PM |
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i would hope that you could trust the bigger charitys to be competent when it comes to relief management.... surely they have had some practice in
the past? and its easier to use money to move about local produce that to send hundreds of bulky items all the way from here.
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theconrodkid
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| posted on 30/12/04 at 06:04 PM |
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friend of mine worked at a charity once,she had a BMW company car, all the best hotels and food on her trips away,75% overheads was the quoted
amount
who cares who wins
pass the pork pies
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krlthms
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| posted on 30/12/04 at 07:28 PM |
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The only thing we can do regarding inefficient charities is to "vote with our feet" and use other charities that maybe more efficient.
The point here is very little money can make a big difference. Even paying a few bob to help bury the dead will make the place less liable to cholera
for example.
I am now thinking this is a unique disaster not only in its breadth, but also because it concentrated just on the beaches, so that very short distance
inland the infrastructure is intact. Therefore, in principle, all we need to do is get the needed stuff across a few miles from intact comunities
inland to the affected people on seashore. So, in this case, donated money could make a big difference.
By the way, isn't it curious how "relative" we are in our perceptions. Just after the big quake, Bangladsh experienced a magnitude
7 quake, which is pretty big, but no one is talking about it.
Cheers to all
KT
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stephen_gusterson
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| posted on 30/12/04 at 07:54 PM |
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im not saying that its the case here, but saying that you dont give to charity cos the money is wasted is a bit of a cop out.
only if 60p in the pound gets thro, its still 60p.
donating an old jumper or whatever isnt charity - its giving away your old crap.
these people need medicine and food, and shipping out a can of baked beans from the uk isnt effective - money enables things to be bought
locally(ish).
Im sure there is some waste of donations....
I have seen the Word Vision headquarters in milton keynes. Its a brand new techie looking building. Im sure they have an excuse, but I would have
thought a brownfield building or existing office block would have done rather than an expensive looking tinted glass building.
atb
steve
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andyps
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| posted on 30/12/04 at 10:09 PM |
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I have donated, but really would like to see the troops moved from Iraq to do some positive work helping out. The government is spending £1.5 billion
per year keeping the troops in Iraq, and contributing £50million to help save lives around the Ocean - not quite the right balance in my view.
Andy
An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less
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stephen_gusterson
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| posted on 30/12/04 at 10:55 PM |
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if troops leave iraq too early, the whole thing will get out of control and the deaths resulting from the lawlessness over the next few years would
make the tsunami look small in comparison.
were not silly numbers - like 500,000 deaths a year / over whatever time - being attributed to saddam - it could be considered that our being in iraq
is the correct balance. Unless you are one of the 1,000s affectred by the iraqi war...
atb
steve
[Edited on 30/12/04 by stephen_gusterson]
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Peteff
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| posted on 31/12/04 at 12:09 AM |
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Some people.
A contact of my wifes works in a travel agents and wrote in today about someone asking if it wil be sorted out for next week as he is booked on a
scuba diving holiday. Pity he wasn't there last week.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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Rorty
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| posted on 31/12/04 at 06:48 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by bigandy
I'm not wanting to cause offence, but for things like this I would much rather give help where needed, such as food, clothes, material
things.
in my opinion, too much of the donated money doesn't end up where it was intended (for example, in logistics company's pockets, in
charities bosses pockets etc etc).
Cheers
Andy
Trouble is, Andy, it costs to then have your food and clothes etc shipped out there. That stretches financial resources and takes up valuable air
flights to the region.
I agree with Gusty; even if some of the donated money doesn't hit the mark, it's still the most powerful contribution.
Vision on the TV today of fat krauts sprawled around a surviving luxury resort pool while distraught and homeless people comb the streets nearby in
total desperation. Makes me sick.
I wish I could be there to, even if only to help some soul search the rubble/hospitals for their loved ones.
Cheers, Rorty.
"Faster than a speeding Pullet".
PLEASE DON'T U2U ME IF YOU WANT A QUICK RESPONSE. TRY EMAILING ME INSTEAD!
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