Press Release
USAID supports Gustav recovery effort
U.S government provides $300,000 through USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance
Kingston |
Monday, September 22, 2008
Public Affairs, U.S. Embassy
Ronald Jackson, ODPEM and Sean Osner, USAID open one of the packages with relief supplies for families affected by Tropical Storm Gustav.
The U.S. government, through USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), donated US$300,000 in relief commodities and transportation to the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) due to the impact of Tropical Storm Gustav.
James T. Heg, Charge’ d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy, handed over the relief supplies to Ronald Jackson, Director General of ODPEM on Thursday, September 4, 2008 at the Norman Manley International Airport. The commodities included 3400 blankets, 1536 hygiene kits, 7800 water containers and over 270 rolls of plastic sheeting for shelters.
OFDA’s support included fuel to conduct aerial damage assessments and relief distribution to the marooned communities and will assist ODPEM to procure additional relief supplies. The U.S. government’s assistance will help replenish stock that ODPEM has already distributed and will support the national emergency office’s response capacity during the hurricane season.
The Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) is the unit within USAID responsible for facilitating and coordinating U.S. government emergency assistance overseas. OFDA provides humanitarian assistance to save lives, alleviate human suffering, and reduce the social and economic impact of humanitarian emergencies.
The American people, through the U.S. Agency for International Development, have provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for nearly 50 years.