AMEDICAusa Receives Guatemalan Humanitarian Award

AMEDICAusa President Neale Brown receives the Monja Blanca Medal from Guatemala Minister of Defense, Maj. Gen. Williams Mansilla Fernandez.

AMEDICAusa Receives Guatemala’s Highest Civilian Award

GUATEMALA CITY– The Monja Blanca Medal was presented today to AMEDICAusa President Neale Brown. The award ceremony followed the conclusion of the organization’s annual FIre and Rescue Training School in Guatemala. The week long school brings together both firefighters and military rescue specialists from around the country to train in fire and rescue techniques. Provided in partnership with North Carolina’s REDS Team, the program enjoys wide support from both the military and fire service communities.

The medal, named for the national flower of Guatemala, is also a prestigious military decoration within the armed forces. It is awarded to those who provide exceptional humanitarian service to the people of Guatemala. Previous recipients have included Mexico’s Special Technical Rescue Team, members of CONRED (the Guatemalan Disaster Relief agency) and Officers of the military’s Unidad Humanitaria y Rescate (UHR) technical rescue team.

AMEDICAusa was recognized for their work in medical care, education, and disaster relief and training throughout Guatemala. Both Neale Brown and the Members of the REDS Team also received individual awards and certificates from the Ministry of Defense in recognition of their efforts on behalf of the people of Guatemala.

Neale Brown instructing firefighters in Guatemala (REDS Team Photo)

Humbled and Proud of Award

“This was a complete surprise and I am humbled by the award.” said Brown. ” I knew nothing about it until the ceremony had begun. I am, of course, proud of the work we do and all of the donors and volunteers who make it possible. Without the people who make it all work, like the REDS Team, we would not be able to accomplish what we have. Our job now is to continue to earn the honor every day.”

AMEDICAusa provides aid in three main areas. Besides working with the firefighters of Guatemala as part of their disaster relief efforts, they also work to provide medical care and educational support to the poor and indigenous peoples of the country. For the week after the ceremony, Brown and AMEDICAusa volunteers travelled to several different locations in Guatemala, distributing donated equipment and meeting with a variety of local officials.

Silvana Ayuso receives Monja Blanca Award

This is the second time that members of AMEDICAusa have been recognized by Guatemala for their efforts. AMEDICAusa Vice President, Silvana Ayuso, also received the award of the Monja Blanca in 2015 for her long and continued work on behalf of the people of Guatemala.

AMEDICAusa, inc. is an I.R.S. 501(C)(3) registered charity, headquartered in Frederick, Maryland.

We are always looking for volunteers who wish to help in Guatemala. Get the details here.

Donating to AMEDICAusa ‘s ongoing programs is easy. Get the details here.

Ambulance and Medical Supplies Headed to Firefighters in Guatemala

Joint Project of Swiss NGO and AMEDICAusa, Inc.
takes equipment to Santa Cruz Muluá, Guatemala

A Swiss non-profit, Ambulance4Guatemala, and AMEDICAusa, a non-profit headquartered in Frederick, Maryland have teamed up in an effort to provide donated emergency equipment and supplies to firefighters in Guatemala. A used ambulance, stocked with medical supplies, is now on its way to the small city of Santa Cruz Muluá in western Guatemala where it will serve two different municipalities and the small villages that surround them. About 30,000 families or roughly 100,000 people live in the area, most are impoverished.

AMBULANCE4GUATEMALA in New Jersey with unit bound for Guatemala

The Swiss group, Sara Berhend, an attorney, Dr. Claudine Moser, an Obstetrician and Gynecologist, and Pierre Martin are delivering the ambulance by driving it over 3000 miles to Guatemala. They raised most of the money for the purchase of the ambulance and travel expenses from private donors in Europe and combined efforts with AMEDICAusa who works closely with Guatemala’s fire services to provide equipment and training throughout the country.

Medical Supplies loaded onto the ambulance at AMEDICAusa in Frederick, Maryland

AMEDICAusa provided additional funds for the purchase of the ambulance, filled it with donated medical supplies, and provided technical expertise as well as assistance in selecting the recipient departments in Guatemala.

The Swiss team travelled from Zürich to New Jersey where they picked up the ambulance and began their travels, first to Frederick, Maryland. There they loaded the vehicle with emergency medical equipment and supplies at AMEDICAusa’s headquarters, then continued their journey toward Guatemala. They expect to arrive in Guatemala before August 20th.

Ambulance and team continue on their way to Guatemala

Ambulance donation enables unique solution for two cities

“There are two cities involved here,” said Neale Brown, President of AMEDICAusa. “One, Santa Cruz Muluá, had a small Fire Department already in service and some experience with running an ambulance. Unfortunately, their old ambulance has broken down leaving them with nothing. The neighboring city, San Felipe, had previously approached AMEDICAusa about starting a Fire Department in their municipality, but are just now starting the construction of their Fire Station, and they are not ready for the equipment yet.” Neither department had yet acquired a fire engine and depend on bucket brigades and help from distant cities for fire protection.

AMEDICAusa with city and fire dept. officials in Santa Cruz Muluá, Guatemala

“When the question came up about who should get the ambulance, we saw an opportunity to broker a deal with the two cities to enable us to serve a great many more people.” Said Brown, who has just returned from a series of meetings in Guatemala.

“We had already committed to assisting San Felipe with starting a fire department and had acquired a fire engine for them. Our initial thought was that the ambulance would go there as well. The problem was that the station is not yet built nor have they hired the firefighters and medics to staff it. We really didn’t want the ambulance to sit in the elements unused in the interim. While visiting the area, we became aware that Muluá had the opposite problem. They had the firefighters and a small station, but no ambulance.

The Church at San Felipe, Guatemala

So, we met with the Mayors and Fire Chiefs, and arrived at a solution. The ambulance will go to Muluá, and they will use it to respond to both cities, beginning immediately. When the fire engine is ready, it and the accompanying rescue equipment will go to San Felipe, who will in turn cover Muluá.

Fire Engine for being readied for donation to San Felipe, Guatemala

AMEDICAusa will be providing joint training to both departments as well, so they can work together effectively.”

While such “mutual aid” agreements are fairly commonplace within the United States, they are rare in Central America.

Volcano Explosions Prompt Warning in Guatemala

Residents and Agencies Warned of Imminent Ashfall
Two very large explosions at Guatemala’s Santiaguito Volcano have caused the government agencies to issue warnings in southwestern Guatemala.

The latest, occurring this morning at 5:12 local time, threw ballistic bombs for over a mile, an ash cloud over 16,000 feet high and caused pyroclastic flows to rumble down the mountainsides.

(INSIVUMEH photo)
A Pyroclastic flow is a collapsing, high-density mix of hot lava blocks, pumice, ash and volcanic gas. They move at very high speed down volcanic slopes, at up to 450 miles an hour. One such event buried the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

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Friday, a similar, somewhat smaller explosion rocked the mountain.

Volcano Warnings for Ash and More Explosions.
INSIVUMEH, the government scientific agency charged with monitoring volcanic activity throughout the country, issued a warning for significant ashfall for 20-25 miles south and west of the mountain, with the advisory that fine ash could drift much farther. They also noted that additional explosions and activity are likely with a possibility of explosions much greater is size. Aircraft have been warned away from the area.

Friday explosion at Santiaguito
Volcanic ash can range from fine dust particles to gravel and poses significant health risks when inhaled. Volcanic ash is heavy, and significant ashfall can cause roof and structural collapse. When wet, such as from Guatemala’s recent heavy rains, it has the consistency and weight of wet concrete and can cause massive landslides.

Several of these volcanic landslides, called Lahars, have occurred in Guatemala over the last week, both at Santiaguito and Volcán Fuego another of the country’s three erupting volcanos.

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The warnings include the villages of San Marcos and Loma Linda, Palajunoj, Finca El Faro, Patzulin, El Patrocinio, and the populations of El Palmar, San Felipe, Las Marías and others in this area. It is likely to drop Ash on Mazatenango and its municipalities.

AMEDICAusa, inc. is an I.R.S. 501(C)(3) registered charity, headquartered in Frederick, Maryland.

Donating to AMEDICAusa ‘s ongoing programs is easy. Get the details here.

Guatemalan Landslides Leaving Many Homeless

Tzununá, Sololá, Guatemala

168 people left homeless and more than 28 structures damaged by landslide in a small Guatemalan village.

The landslide occurred in the Patuyá section of Tzununá, where authorities are setting up two emergency shelters to house the affected people, the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (CONRED) reported. (CONRED is the Guatemalan equivalent of FEMA in the United States.)

Cristian Rodriguez, CONRED spokesperson, reported that at least 28 families are affected and they are coordinating with other officials to transfer them to a shelter.

(photo: Prensa Libre / CONRED)

“The houses were flooded by mud and stones that broke off from the mountain. Those affected are going to be moved because they are cut off and there is continued danger of further slides.” added Rodriguez.

AMEDICAusa Vice President Silvana Ayuso is in Guatemala and has been in contact with CONRED and Military officials at the scene and reported that emergency supplies are already enroute to the area.

“We are preparing to send emergency food supplies and clothing right now.” said Ayuso. ” This is happening in other places in Guatemala, and there is a significant danger of a much larger landslide happening anywhere right now… We must be ready.”

In the Department of Quetzaltenango on July 12th, a landslide killed a 61 year old man, despite efforts by the local firefighters to revive him.

Another slide was reported in the Department of Alta Verapaz last night.

Last October a catastrophic landslide buried the village of El Cambray Dos, outside Guatemala City, killing an estimated 350 people, many of whom were never recovered.

https://www.amedicausa.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/CarmenAdmusic.mp4

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Municipal Orange Alert to be declared in Santa Cruz La Laguna.

In order to expedite assistance for affected families and help prevent further damage or injuries, the Mayor of the Municipality is expected to make the declaration today.

Current Guatemala Landslide Danger Map – Areas in red are at the highest risk (CONRED)

According to information provided by CONRED, soils in the western areas of Guatemala are over-saturated with the recent heavy rains, conditions which facilitate landslides. More Rain and thunderstorms are expected today.

In addition, officials are concerned with the possibility of Lahars, volcanic mudflows of ash, rocks and rainwater, that can be literally boiling hot and have the consistency (and mass) of wet concrete. A Lahar occurred on June 13th from the slopes of Santiaguito, one of three currently erupting volcanoes in Guatemala.

Video of Tzununa Landslide

Video of flooding in Jerez, Jutiapa.