Relief International, a Los Angeles based humanitarian organization with a 20-member medical and emergency relief team currently on the ground in Haiti, has received a donation of 180 portable generators from Generac Power Systems, Inc. for use in earthquake-devastated Port au Prince.
Power in the capital has been out since January 12th when the quake damaged key transmission lines throughout the city. Without electricity, many crucial relief operations, including urgent medical procedures, are being put on hold.

Dr. Orna Hananel, a Kaiser Permanente physician with Relief International’s first wave of volunteer responders, reported on the dismal situation resulting from a lack of electricity in the days following the earthquake: “I estimate that 80% of people need orthopedic surgery on their limbs, but given the current situation and capacity in Haiti only 5% may have a chance to get the surgery. This means that those injured in the earthquake will suffer life-long disabilities.” Each Generac portable generator has a five-kilowatt capacity and will immediately supply power to allow RI’s team of physicians to provide the life- and limb-saving procedures that are so desperately needed.

Relief International will also make generators available to other bona fide emergency medical and relief teams on the ground. After the emergency period, the generators will be used to support community health and education service organizations in the efforts to rebuild earthquake-affected communities in Haiti. The generators provide a long-term source of power for residents of Port au Prince and the surrounding area as they undertake the arduous task of rebuilding their homes and lives.

“Generac is extremely concerned about the devastation in Haiti and is doing everything it can to help in the relief effort,” says Aaron Jagdfeld, Generac’s chief executive officer. “We are pleased to partner with Relief International to deliver aid to those impacted by this natural disaster.”

“The electricity that we take for granted by simply switching on a tool here is more than just a luxury in Haiti right now,” according to Dr. Farshad Rastegar, President and CEO of Relief International. “The ability to power medical devices in operating rooms and field hospitals across Haiti is no less than a life-saving gift.” Generac’s donation, says Rastegar, came about not from solicitation by the organization but from Generac’s own pro-active outreach and desire to help. “We cannot thank Generac and its employees enough. Generac is powering and empowering medical and relief teams across Haiti and saving lives – literally.”

About Generac Power Systems:

Since 1959, Generac Power Systems, Inc., has been a leading, innovative manufacturer and marketer of portable and standby generators, automatic transfer switches, modular paralleling systems, and small engines for recreational vehicle, residential, and commercial applications. Generac’s power systems range in output from 1 to 9,000 kilowatts. Generac is a proud supporter of the Home Safety Council and earned the Good Housekeeping Seal in 2009. For more information on Generac and its extensive line of both portable and automatic generators, visit www.GENERAC.com.

About Relief International:

Relief International is a global non-profit humanitarian agency providing emergency relief, recovery and development services to victims of disasters. The organization’s work bridges the gap between immediate emergency relief and long-term community and economic development to address poverty and other root causes of vulnerability to disasters. Accordingly, its teams are often the first to arrive when disaster strikes and the last to leave. To learn more about RI visit www.ri.org

Posted: 02|8|10 at 7:16 pm. Filed under: News.