Carol Shattuck (at left) aboard the DC6 carrying AmeriCares' first airlift of lifesaving medicine.

My heart began pounding...
Carol Shattuck
01/18/10

Carol Shattuck, our Chief of Staff, recounts her experience on AmeriCares first emergency airlift to help Haiti with earthquake and humanitarian relief. Carol brings over 10 years of experience with AmeriCares, including dozens of relief missions. Read her latest report from Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

My heart began pounding with anticipation once I learned I was headed to Haiti to help with AmeriCares relief efforts. This Sunday morning there would be no leisurely cup of coffee, no chat with my husband over the crossword. This Sunday was all about getting on an emergency airlift to Port-au-Prince, Haiti to help earthquake survivors.

Preparation was essential. As the clock ticked down to departure, we made sure we had what we needed to get by without access to food or shelter once we arrived in Haiti. Like a surreal camping trip, we packed tents, food, water, flashlights and other critical supplies.

At the Miami airport, our charter plane - a DC6 – was jam packed with every available inch of space filled with medicines, medical supplies and other relief. My team member Brian and I were wedged into the two jump seats behind the pilot and his crew.

After waiting for confirmation from Port-au-Prince airport, we were cleared for take-off Sunday afternoon. Wheels up in Miami just before 5:00 pm. The flight was smooth, flying at low altitude to conserve fuel. But as we approached Haiti at around 8:00 pm, the pilot began a steep descent. He said, it feels “like a piano dropping” and told us to hold on tight.

We had a stomach-churning, ear-popping landing, but in the end we were safe and sound. Brian and I were beyond happy to finally be in Port-au-Prince with our valuable cargo. Our colleagues Bret and Matt met us at the plane while another team member Rachel prepared for distributing to our healthcare partners through Port-au-Prince. It was great to see them.

The scene at the Port-au-Prince airport was amazing. Planes landing one after another all night. Cargo was unloaded and they would take off to help evacuate survivors and get more aid deliveries. Between waiting and forklift operations, it took almost all night to transfer the aid onto delivery trucks.

Brian pitched our tent in the dark in about 5 minutes – I was so impressed - and we settled in next to our cargo on a grassy patch of land next to the tarmac. Just imagine pitching a tent next to a New York City runway on its busiest day of the year! We took shifts sleeping for a few hours at a time so we would be ready for another big day on Monday. I drifted off to sleep with a rewarding feeling, lifesaving medicines are in Port-au-Prince and ready to be delivered to medical facilities crowded with patients waiting for medical treatment.