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JB MDL welcomes evacuees from Haiti

  • Published
  • By Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs Office
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst welcomed more than 250 evacuees from Haiti this morning following a 7.0-magnitude earthquake there.

The Joint Base is facilitating support efforts with various governmental and civilian organizations to ensure the evacuees are properly cared for. The team has provided food, clothing, medical care and transportation to ensure to assist evacuees until they reach their final destinations.

"Our only focus is taking care of the immediate needs of these people", said Col Joe Poth, Deputy Joint Base Commander. "The military is uniquely qualified and organized to do these types of evacuation and humanitarian operations. With the various organizations that are assisting us, we are doing the very best we can to help in light of this terrible tragedy".

Personnel and units from JB MDL including the 621st Contingency Response Wing, 305th Air Mobility Wing, 514th Air Mobility Wing as well as the 87th Air Base Wing have been on the ground in Haiti supporting this massive humanitarian effort.

Numerous community organizations have already reached out to assist JB MDL in caring for the evacuees. Donations in support of these efforts are appreciated; however, we ask these offerings be diverted to local charitable organizations as our logistics capabilities are currently dedicated to operational requirements.