$2 Million Dollars in Medical Supplies Donated to Emergency First Responders
At the Old Belize compound today, a container filled with two million dollars worth of medical supplies was being offloaded and handed over to emergency first responders in Belize City, San Pedro and Caye Caulker. The donation was made possible through Project CURE and Young Professionals, two organizations out of the United States that have been working with the Rickilee Response and Rescue group out of San Pedro Town. The donation will further assist in the response to COVID-19. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Today, a container filled with two million dollars worth of medical supplies, including beds, equipment and consumables were handed over to the Belize Emergency Response Team. The supplies are donated by Project CURE and will be shared between several emergency healthcare organizations, including the K.H.M.H. and Rickilee Response and Rescue in the cayes. BERT has been providing EMT services to the country for the past twenty-two years and in many instances they have been first responders in terms of accidents and emergencies.
Andre Carillo
Andre Carillo, Executive Director, BERT
“Today the country of Belize is receiving a container of medical supplies that is going to help us improve our response to COVID-19. The container is valued about a million U.S. and you are seeing this donation today becoming a reality as a result of the partnership between BERT and Triple R Air Evac. The container contains medical supplies that we will use in our accident and emergency units in San Pedro, Caye Caulker and we do intend to hand over some to K.H.M.H. as well. As you can see, we have a lot of beds. As you know the beds in Belize is coming in short supply so this will help us be able to assist more patients going forward.”
Triple R Air Evac is also an emergency response provider that began in San Pedro more than two years ago, rescuing visitors and locals alike. Manager Mike Ruiz says that the donation was two years in the making with support from Young Professionals Organization out of Denver, Colorado and Project CURE.
Mike Ruiz
Mike Ruiz, Manager, R.R.R.
“This container has been a blessing. It’s been a coordinating effort with Project CURE; a group called the young professionals out of Denver, Colorado. They gathered up all the money and last year, Triple R was able to work with Project CURE and put down a million dollars of medical supplies into the cayes. At that time, we didn’t really want to self promote; we were just quiet about it. But this COVID-19 pandemic has created a new international need and desire to share humanitarian efforts. And I am just very pleased to participate and the support of the Belizean government, the people of Belize, the Rotary Club, Belize Emergency Response Team, Triple R and everyone that has been a supporter of Triple R Air Evac Emergency response on the island of San Pedro.”
On hand to receive the donation on behalf of the Government of Belize was Tourism Minister Anthony Mahler. He speaks on the importance of a robust emergency response team in the country, especially during these COVID times.
Anthony Mahler
Anthony Mahler, Minister of Tourism
“On behalf of the people of Belize and the Government of Belize, I would like to thank BERT, Triple R Air Evac, the Rotary and Project CURE for all the work they are doing in Belize and all the supplies we have gotten today. It will go a long way especially in this critical time of need. We have so much demand for medical supplies. COVID-19 has created chaos around the world and in Belize and we want to ensure that we can do what is necessary to take care of the Belizean people and who are in our country.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
