Swedish Ping!
Posted on 09/02/2005 1:20:53 AM PDT by fdsa2
Offering aid to the US (translation from Swedish)
Yesterday the US sent out a request for foreign aid in regard to the disaster area in and around New Orleans. The Swedish Rescue Services Agency (civilian emergency rescue authority - own remark) has been in contact with its Euroepean corresponding authorities and the OFDA (Office for Foreign Disaster Assistance), the american equivalent.
- It is about securing tolerable living conditions for the survivors, says Kjell Larsson.
The agency has sent an offer of assistance through the Swedish Embassy in Washington. It consist, among other things, of water purification equipment, prefabricated houses for temporary housing, medical supplies and technical assistance in restoring telecommunications.
A reply from the american authorities are yet to come.
The U.S. should refuse all foreign aid. We're not Somalia. Not yet.
Swedish Ping!
New Orleans is as Somolia was in 1993.
We need the help and need it now.
Hey Sweeden! Thanks for the dough!!
Kind of makes up for that whole ABBA thing.
There ain't enough money in Sweden...
The only thing we need is leadership.
What we are witnessing is a complete failure of leadership - starting with the the Louisiana governor and New Orleans Mayor.
The agency has sent an offer of assistance through the Swedish Embassy in Washington. It consist, among other things, of water purification equipment, prefabricated houses for temporary housing, medical supplies and technical assistance in restoring telecommunications.
.............
We, America should gladly accept such offers! Some of the engineering desings like prefabricated houses for temporary housing is an excellent idea!
(Update with a better "written article")
Sweden offers disaster assistance to US
The Swedish Rescue Services Agency has offered disaster assistance to the US as it grapples with the task of rescuing thousands still trapped in New Orleans by flooding caused by Hurricane Katrina.
On Friday morning the agency said it was still waiting for a reply and details about what sort of contribution Sweden could make in the disaster area. In the meantime, Swedish officials are identifying available resources and planning how to get them across the Atlantic.
The US sent out a request for international assistance on Thursday, and Sweden's response was delivered via the embassy in Washington.
It is understood that Sweden's offer included help with water purification, medical equipment, prefabricated temporary accommodation and repairing telecommunications.
"We know that they want these things but it doesn't seem to be completely clear what exactly is needed," said the Swedish Rescue Services Agency's press officer Mats Oscarsson.
"The affected states probably have the information but we haven't approached them yet."
The Swedish Rescue Services Agency is also in contact with similar European organisations as well as the American Office for Foreign Disaster Assistance.
"When other countries are hit by crisis there is usually some sort of very official request about what's needed and so on, but we haven't had that yet from the US," added Oscarsson.
Meanwhile, the Swedish Foreign Ministry confirmed that three Swedes who were thought to have been in the area at the time of the hurricane have still not been contacted.
"We emphasise that we are not categorising them as missing - they just haven't got in touch," said Nina Ersman, at the ministry's press office.
According to the Foreign Ministry, hundreds of Swedes live in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama but the damaged telephone network has made it hard to contact everyone.
Sources: Dagens Nyheter, TT, Aftonbladet
http://www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=2008&date=20050902&PHPSESSID=4ae5ba42f12413c4eb29ab8a6b26b3e9
The Swedish contstruction firm Skanska is donating 1,5 Mn SEK to the US red cross. Volvo Trucks are taking monetary donations from employees in Sweden and the US and is matching them. A blood drive is also under way at Volvo in Sweden. Finally, Volvo Trucks are also volonteering heavy equipment to assist in NO.
Well, at last it looks like the gravity of the disaster is clear now over here.
To all situated in NO area - keep safe, to the rest have a nice weekend.
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