We should have been there already.
Our DART team can be anywhere within 48 hrs., and it's still up here waiting on the 48 hrs. notice.
The only reason Paul Martin has done anything is because he was shamed into it by the Canadian people.
You all should have heard the talk shows Wed. and Thurs. up here....Callers were livid that we hadn't sent anyone yet. Many remarked on the American hydro workers that came up here without even being asked when we had the ice storm in '98, and how we should have medicine, hydro workers, search teams, etc., already on the way.
Martin didn't even make a statement until 5pm on Wed. Idiot!!
American FRiends, Canadians do care, and are praying for you.
Bump
But we cannot move the DART team until the US accepts the offer of help and asks for its deployment and tells where to deploy it.
Also, the materiel to be moved takes a Globemaster or a shuttle service of Hercules aircraft and lots of land upon which to set up. One cannot aimlessly wander about the Gulf coast with this materiel and personnel looking for someone to allow us to use it.
What needs to happen is for Homeland Security to make a phone call to Gen Hillier's staff to ask for deployment. It would also helf for the USAF to send some heavy lift aircraft to Trenton as the Hercs are not big enough. For the tsumani job DART had to rent a Russian heavy cargo aircraft.