U.S. donates to Red Cross relief efforts
The Belize Red Cross is on its last lap of providing supplies to the victims of Hurricane Dean, but is committed to continue the work through October if there is still need. Throughout the year Red Cross personnel across the country are prepared to respond to natural disasters, but it takes money. Today the Belize Red Cross received some much needed relief of its own in the amount of fifty thousand Belize dollars, courtesy of the U.S. embassy.
Leonard Hill, U.S. Chargé d’affaires in Belize
“We have been very impressed with the work that the Red Cross did in hurricane Dean; of course we provided some assistance to the Red Cross and to NEMO for the relief effort after Hurricane Dean. When we saw Hurricane Felix coming and luckily decided not to come to Belize we realized there was probably also some help that could be given in terms of preparedness for the next natural disaster, hurricane whatever it might be. So this money is to help the Red Cross in its continuing work during the course of the year in making sure that everyone is ready to face natural disasters.”
Lily Bowman, Acting Director General, Belize Red Cross
“And that is exactly what we are going to put it. As Mr. Hill stated, it is for preparedness and we are so grateful for that Mister Hill because that is exactly where we need money right now.”
“The Belize Red Cross has a very successful prevention programme. It deals with the VCA methodology which is the vulnerability, capacity and assessment. And it is a lot of work being done with the communities, the community members themselves and it is basically preparedness for response and for identifying risks before hand and to make recommendations and to come up with solutions to mitigate those risks before the damage, before a storm or a disaster comes and so that programme can really do with that money.”
The U.S. donation is part of a larger project that assists countries in the Caribbean and Central America to provide emergency relief supplies following natural disasters.
