Disaster response is close to the heart and origin of EMI. The ministry was conceived of in a post-disaster situation in Saipan after a hurricane in 1981. Out of this project sprang the vision to mobilize design professionals to help the less fortunate. A brief review of EMI's disaster response work:
Dec 2010 - Haiti – In late November and December, 2010, eMi sent a team of disaster response engineers to support Samaritan's Purse (SP) efforts to respond to the recent cholera outbreak in Haiti. The team was tasked with providing water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) support to SP's cholera treatment centers (CTC's) and assisting in the installation of water treatment systems.
Aug 2010 - Pakistan – The worst flooding in Pakistan's recent history has displaced over 10 million people – more than the Haitian Earthquake and 2005 Asian Tsunami combined. EMI mobilized a team of two structural and civil engineers to serve our partners, Food for the Hungry. Their task is to assess the situation and advise FH and EMI headquarters on water, sanitation, hygiene, and shelter interventions to aid the Pakistani people.
Feb 27, 2010 - Chile – A magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck Chile on the morning of February 27th with intense shaking lasting for about three minutes. The earthquake triggered a tsunami which devastated several coastal towns in south-central Chile and damaged the port at Talcahuano. Tsunami warnings were issued in 53 countries, and the wave caused minor damage in the San Diego area of California and in the Tohoku region of Japan, where damage to the fisheries business was estimated at ¥6.26 billion (USD$66.7 million). The earthquake also generated a blackout that affected 93 percent of the country's population and which went on for several days in some locations. According to official sources, 525 people lost their lives, 25 people went missing and about 9% of the population lost their homes.
Jan 12, 2010 - Haiti – EMI assembled teams to respond to the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12th. When an earthquake of such magnitude (defined as "Major" on the Richter scale) occurs in a place as vulnerable to natural disasters as Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, massive damage results. Basic services, such as water and electricity have ceased. Multiple hospitals have collapsed. News agencies report that over 100,000 people are feared dead.
2005 Guatemala – EMI staff design and mobilize funding for permanent houses for victims of Hurricane Stan.
2005 Pakistan/N. India – EMI engineers and architects travel to N. India to assist with relief and reconstruction efforts. EMI home office mobilizes funding to build temporary shelters for earthquake victims.
2005 Indonesia – Six engineers visit Meulobah, Indonesia to assess flooding problems in the wake of the tsunami, partnering with Food for the Hungry.
2005 India – Engineers and architects travel to coastal southern India to design prototype village for tsunami victims.
2000 Turkey – Two structural engineers assess earthquake-damaged buildings for World Relief.
1999 Ocotal, Nicaragua – Three civil engineers, in conjunction with World Relief, design a drip irrigation system for farmers who lost everything in Hurricane Mitch.
1999 Honduras – Eight civil engineers assess and design remediation for several slopes and water systems damaged by Hurricane Mitch.
1995 Kobe, Japan – Structural engineers assess damaged churches after an earthquake.
If you are interested in joining our database of disaster responders or are simply interested in learning more about the program, please download a volunteer responser application or contact our disaster response team.We encourage all potential disaster response volunteers to first volunteer on one of EMI's short term project trips (see current project needs). This is so we can get to know each other's strengths and weaknesses before attempting to work together and rely on each other in potentially high-stress environments.
