Nicole File from CNN here… Happy New Year.  I apologize for the spam, but on the chance you know anybody in a position to help, I’d love to take advantage of this opportunity: 

An acquaintance was trying to find funding to send a flight of medical personnel to Haiti , and evac somebody out on the way back.  He found more money than expected and now we are looking for surgeons, surgical staff and/or nurses to fill three MORE flights to Haiti .  The flights leave Tuesday (tomorrow), Wednesday and Friday, from Fort Lauderdale .  The organization in charge already has 6 OR’s up and running, which is a huge accomplishment – but they are severely understaffed. 

The planes may be used to medevac badly injured quake victims on the way back to Florida , so each flight is doubly important. 

To reiterate:  The money, the pilot and the planes are there… all we need is medical personnel who want to help.  I hear from someone who was evac’ed by this pilot that he is “the best”… a safe and efficient pilot who’s able to navigate all the various obstacles into and out of Haiti right now.

Ideally, these would be ER/trauma experienced surgeons, preferably fluent in French and/or Creole.  But frankly, the need is so great and it’s currently being filled by such inexperienced people, that I think any surgeon or staffer would be welcome.

If getting to Ft. Lauderdale is a problem, but otherwise somebody wants to go, please put them in touch with me and we’ll see what we can do to make it happen.  Otherwise, people can contact Vanessa Carpenter at Angel Missions Haiti (you can look them up at http://www.angelmissionshaiti.org/)  until tomorrow morning at 540-580-9721.  After tomorrow morning, call Chris Meadows… her number is is 815-739-7656 and her email is AMHmedical@hotmail.com.

Thanks! Feel free to forward.

Nicole File

CNN Senior Copy Editor

404-274-8268