RAF AT to the Philippines?

[FODPlod]

gr4techie - This is precisely the sort of emergency for which deployed RN warships are trained, equipped and stored (including Emergency Relief Packs containing extra medical stores). Apart from her professional medical staff, 50% of the ship's company are trained First Aiders.

HMS Richmond's sailors take on disaster relief exercise

Your sneeringly contrived put-downs do you no credit at all and simply expose your ignorance by every definition. I'd refute each one in turn but I doubt I could alter your bitter and twisted viewpoint one jot so I won't waste my breath. GLOJO has summarised DARING's capabilities comprehensively.

Good luck to all our service personnel trying their damndest to help these beleaguered people in their desperate plight.

[Tankertrashnav]

With such a huge disaster having only recently occurred, I was surprised that the BBC's annual Children in Need luvvy-fest wasn't changed so that all proceeds would go to the Philippines.

On second thoughts, we're talking about the BBC......

Sorry Beagle but I have to disagree with you there. Actually I dislike the "luvvy fest" as well and don't watch any of it, but the fact is millions watch and enjoy it and it does raise huge amounts of money for very worthy children's charities.

Your argument is similar to those be berate people for giving to animal charities, saying that people are more important, when in fact many people give to both.

The fact is people seem to be a charitable mood at the moment and the total collected for Children in Need is a record, that on top of the vast sums collected for the Phillipines appeal - in many cases I suspect the money is coming out of the same pockets.

[Wander00]

I am with TTN on this - and there are differences between the two appeals - disasters emergency straight from wallet to charity. CiN involves people individually and in groups, including many children. Just spent most of 24 hours with a bunch of kids who might be seen as "privileged" sailing on a salt water lake for 24 hours. They have raised well over £100k over 15 years and this year look to be going to raise close to £15k. As Beags said, neither seems to have reduced the amount raised by the other, Both should be applauded, IMHO

[Hangarshuffle]

HMS Daring is well designed.

Has a comparatively large flight deck and hangar which links through to two decent sized compartments for the fast boats on either-well thought through. Will be useful on a small scale I would imagine.
Best wishes to the Captain and Ships Company from me on that.
Everyone seems to expect instant world response and instant impact these days - this is just plain unreasonable. Perhaps in future countries likely to be destroyed by natural causes will be required to bury beforehand large amounts of stores and provisions.
ie shelters, water etc already stored and prepositioned?
Situation is only going to go on like this.
Could happen in Britain. I fact I bet you it one day will.
Would we be any better prepared than the pinos? No.

[FODPlod]

Coincidence or what?

A few years ago, my wife and I visited Kefalonia (scene of Captain Corelli's Mandolin) in the Ionian Sea and stayed in a hotel in Sami. I couldn't help but notice a photo of the previous HMS DARING on the counter in reception. On enquiring, I found out that she had been the first on the scene after an earthquake flattened all but one village on the island in 1953. Argostoli, the island's capital, even has a street named after her.

When a ship's company reunion was held in Sami in 2003, I was told by the hotel manager that a local man had tears in his eyes as he recounted how the sailors had pulled his pregnant mother out of the ruins of her home. But for this rescue, he would not have been around to tell the tale. As can be seen from the video below, the RAF was heavily involved as well but even after 50 years, this single act had achieved more lasting good for the UK's reputation than any flurry of foreign aid money.

1953 kefalonia eartquake

[Phileas Fogg]

Well don't think for one minute that the Filipinos are going to be holding remembrance services or indeed giving one hoot for any rescuers in weeks, months or years from now.

Just Goggle for the lootings of Gaisano and/or Robinsons in Tacloban, many have probably perished whilst their relatives and friends have pre-occupied themselves stealing from shops.

There are numerous collections going on hereabouts, some may make it to the stricken whilst others will make it as far as someones back pocket, I was only discussing with my Filipina partner yesterday that had we been stricken by the typhoon, and indeed we had a narrow escape, would these people be doing anything for me and we agreed that the answer would be "no" purely based on my (white) skin colour.

Racism survives and prospers well here in the Philippines and if D.C. thinks that in the future he might receive a similar welcome to the he received in Libya then he's got another thing coming!!!

[gr4techie]

Originally Posted by FODPlod

gr4techie - This is precisely the sort of emergency for which deployed RN warships are trained, equipped and stored (including Emergency Relief Packs containing extra medical stores). Apart from her professional medical staff, 50% of the ship's company are trained First Aiders.
HMS Richmond's sailors take on disaster relief exercise
Your sneeringly contrived put-downs do you no credit at all and simply expose your ignorance by every definition. I'd refute each one in turn but I doubt I could alter your bitter and twisted viewpoint one jot so I won't waste my breath. GLOJO has summarised DARING's capabilities comprehensively.

Good luck to all our service personnel trying their damndest to help these beleaguered people in their desperate plight.

My comments were not said in a sneeringly contrived put-down way and I'm not bitter and twisted, why would I be? I just take the Glojo's post with a pinch of salt. Since I have never having been in the Navy, maybe I am ignorant of it's capabilities. However I never brag and seek credit.

[TomJoad]

Originally Posted by gr4techie

True. The only thing I learned from 2 years of A Level history is there is no right answer and two sides to every story.
Then there's the conspiracy theorist in me that thinks the govt never does some
thing for a simple reason and there must be another political motive lurking in the background.

GR4 thing is a lot of folk out in the Philippines don't have the luxury of naval gazing or engaging in your conspiracy theories. They are kinda focused on whether they or their families will survive the next 24hrs. I doubt they give a hoot about what kind of vessel comes to their aid, or what the senders intention may be. I kinda think I would be thinking exactly the same if I were in their position. You know, there are times when the right course of action is simply to act - this is one of them. You can indulge your intellectual vanity concerning conspiracy theories, petty inter service point scoring and government motives after lives have been saved. Thank God we live in a country where we are still willing to help those in peril with all the wealth resources and human endeavour that we can muster.

[Ken Scott]

With such a huge disaster having only recently occurred, I was surprised that the BBC's annual Children in Need luvvy-fest wasn't changed so that all proceeds would go to the Philippines.

You're simply wrong, Beagle. The expression here is, 'charity begins at home'. £31 million was raised by CinN for deserving causes around the UK, whilst charities raising funds for the Philippine's disaster also raised a similar amount in the first 3 days after it was launched. There are clearly enough people in the UK who care about both causes for the BBC not to have to make the gesture you seem to expect of them.

[India Four Two]

here on Siargao Island, last evening, 100 Mayors had rented out a resort with grub and disco etc. to p1ss up and dance the night away at taxpayers expense.

PF,
Unfortunately that does not surprise me at all! Have the Manila media picked up on this story?

[Blue Bottle]

The C17 made it, a good route by the look of it and lots of support crew on board as well

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/r...he-philippines

[Eclectic]

The helicopter has been hard at work: Typhoon Haiyan: Royal Navy warship HMS Daring arrives in disaster zone - Telegraph

It has spent the last three days carrying out reconnaissance work in and around the Philippines, using a helicopter to survey the areas which have not yet been reached by international relief teams.
The Lynx helicopter will now be used to fly shelter kits, food and medical supplies to those remote areas.
Members of the 12-strong medical team from the UK, which arrived in the Philippines earlier this week, will also be flown to different areas to treat injured victims of the typhoon.

[TomJoad]

Originally Posted by Phileas Fogg

Well don't think for one minute that the Filipinos are going to be holding remembrance services or indeed giving one hoot for any rescuers in weeks, months or years from now.

Just Goggle for the lootings of Gaisano and/or Robinsons in Tacloban, many have probably perished whilst their relatives and friends have pre-occupied themselves stealing from shops.

There are numerous collections going on hereabouts, some may make it to the stricken whilst others will make it as far as someones back pocket, I was only discussing with my Filipina partner yesterday that had we been stricken by the typhoon, and indeed we had a narrow escape, would these people be doing anything for me and we agreed that the answer would be "no" purely based on my (white) skin colour.

Racism survives and prospers well here in the Philippines and if D.C. thinks that in the future he might receive a similar welcome to the he received in Libya then he's got another thing coming!!!

So your response to a humanitarian disaster is:

1. Will they hold rememberance day services for HM Forces.

2. Would they help me.

Thankfully the majority of folk in the UK, including those that govern and ultimately decide how deploy our wealth and resources to help fellow humans in need, live by a different credo than you.

[Phileas Fogg]

Thankfully the majority of folk in the UK, including those that govern and ultimately decide how deploy our wealth and resources to help fellow humans in need, live by a different credo than you.

Tomjoad,

There's no call to be so offensive whilst jumping to the wrong conclusions!!!

FODPlod made a point that Kefalonia "remembers" and I made a point that these Filipinos won't remember, they'll take and take and take and consider it to be their right. I was at our local Filipino pizza restaurant last evening, there they have a large box for relief donations of clothing, bedding etc. guess what, it remains empty, not even the Filipinos will give to their own people in need, they're all too pre-occupied looking after No.1, it is what they do best!

No, they wouldn't help me and apparently it is me that lives by some different credo? I'll have to go and figure that one out Tomjoad, that these people won't help me, not because of my skin colour but because I live by a different credo!!!

[lmgaylard]

Nice to see our armed forces working closely.

I had the privilege of attending the media assignment at RAF Brize Norton in the early hours of Friday morning.

Now some of you reading this may be surprised to hear my comments as I have been accused by some as being a 'naval worshiper'.....but;

I must say that it was a real eye opener to see so many RAF personnel helping out, having given up their free time! Many on 99 squadron had volunteered to help with various stages of planning and with the loading of equipment and supplies onto C-17 ZZ177.

It was also very warming to, sneakily, overhear various phone conversations that went roughly; ''so the navy will be doing that, great, tell them we are bringing.....'' and ''ask them (navy) if they can do this as it will help....''

I really got a genuine sense that both forces were pulling together for the greater good and any kind of inter-service rivalry was certainly not at work.

I am now, however, saddened that some of the previous comments on this thread has resorted back to type.....

[teeteringhead]

And the C-17s have delivered a number of "rough terrain JCBs" (whatever they are ) for reconstruction work.

No, Daring or Lusty (ETA about Sunday I think) couldn't do that, but then the RAF couldn't do what the Grey Funnel Line can.

So can't we STFU the inter-Service willy waving, and let each Service get on with doing what they do best .......

Including some banter of course ........

[glojo]

Originally Posted by gr4 techie

My comments were not said in a sneeringly contrived put-down way and I'm not bitter and twisted, why would I be? I just take the Glojo's post with a pinch of salt. Since I have never having been in the Navy, maybe I am ignorant of it's capabilities. However I never brag and seek credit.

I'm sorry you disbelieved my factual post regarding what those sailors WILL DO..

It was definitely NOT bragging, it was simply documenting just a few of the tasks these sailors are expected and yes, they are expected to perform. I totally, 100% accept there are only approximately 200 personnel on that ship but having been on a ship of a similar size and having performed similar tasks, I was simply giving an account of the tasks we had to perform.

Yes there are only a limited number of sailors but I can assure you they will be working around the clock, non stop, performing miracles. Yes that term might be a slight exaggeration but when others look back at what they have achieved in such a short time they will indeed be humbled.

Unfortunately the Navy does most definitely sell itself short regarding what it does and rather than me repeat myself I am going to post cuttings describing just a few of their deeds along hopefully with some pictures to back up my previous post.

This is not me waggling my willy, this is me responding to a post that did not do the author any favours.

Feel free to take your salt and do with it what you will, but I personally congratulate those hard working souls as fund raising is obviously helpful but what they are doing is possibly going that extra mile??

Eyes down...

After spotting the island’s distress call, where the word ‘HELP’ was spelt out on a playground, HMS Daring brought a medical team from save the Children to set up clinics around the main villages.

We are very glad to see the medical teams and the ship because we were running out of bandages and bandage tape and a few other medical supplies and I wasn’t sure if I could get any more very quickly.

A team of sailors also set to work to repair the local school’s roof which had been completely stripped of its corrugated iron sheets, and cleared the inside of debris and stagnant water.
The children have not been able to go to school for more than a week, but classes should begin again tomorrow.

Members of HMS Daring's crew with life-saving humanitarian aid at Cebu [Picture: Able Seaman (Warfare Specialist) Chris *****

As well as repairing the buildings, the sailors cleared fallen trees, and electrical teams assessed the extent of damage to one of the 2 generators for the village’s power supply.

One generator is fully serviceable,” explained Deputy Marine Engineering Officer Lieutenant Wendy ****.

The other has some minor defects as the wind moved it away from its stand, but they have enough fuel to run them both so they are not short of that supply.

The issue is that the power lines are down and we have spoken to the department of International Development representatives on board who will report the issue to the authorities to get it fixed for them.

The ship’s crew handed out 137 shelter packs which each contain 4 shelters. Just one can cover a house, sheltering large families of between 5 and 10 people at a time.

The local water well was also checked, and although there was some initial concern about possible contamination, there have been very few incidents of sickness.

All villagers use tablets to purify their drinking water which are passed to them by the island nurse.

Other areas of the island also suffered extensive damage, including the villages of Bitoon, Pasiil and Langob and their suburbs, where shelter was deemed the highest priority by the local people.

Originally Posted by MoD

A Portsmouth-based air defence warship, HMS Daring is two thirds of the way through a nine-month deployment and was taking part in an exercise with Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Malaysia as part of the Five Powers Defence Arrangement when she was re-tasked to the Philippines to deliver aid after Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines on 7 November 2013.

The aid collected by the Department for International Development (DfID) for HMS Daring to distribute consists of: 500 food baskets which can feed a family of four for a week; 500 family shelter kits; 500 hygiene kits; 1,500 four-litre water carriers; and 400 five litre water carriers. The ship will also embark a team of 14 medics from the UK.

HMS Daring herself can also provide 700 ration packs, 550 litres of bottled water and can provide 100,000 litres of potable water within 24 hours, generators, firefighting equipment, thermal imaging cameras and an emergency relief pack containing essentials such as generators, floodlighting and rescue equipment.

On board she has electrical and mechanical engineers, a doctor and medical team, first aiders, dentist, priest, heavy equipment specialists, air crews and boat crews. All 200 personnel on board are also trained in humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

I have highlighted the numbers as it is more than impressive to see just how few sailors are doing all this work and still keeping the ship at an operational state (you cannot shut the thing down!)

Originally Posted by MoD

Surgeon Lieutenant (D) ******* **** Aged **. Dental Officer attached to Commando Logistic Regiment, Barnstaple. Lives in ****** *****.

Team of three - Surg Lt (D) *****, Dental Hygienist CPO Heather ******* and Dental Nurse Debbie *****.

"We joined HMS Daring on October 28 and the original plan was to be on board until November 17, so a short stint of a couple of weeks. We are here to provide the ships company with dental treatment, including hygiene work, and to ensure they are all up to date with their dental inspections.

"When we were told of the re-tasking of HMS Daring my first priority was to find out if we could be of assistance, and the answer came back as yes. We don't know any more than that at the moment but, of course, we are keen to help in any way we can.

"There are several ways we could be called upon once we arrive in the Philippines. Using our primary roles we may be tasked with providing emergency dental care for patients with uncontrollable bleeding, swelling and trauma and I have all the equipment I would need for that as we bought it all on board to treat the ship's company.

Occasionally, Dentists can help with forensic identification and Heather and Debbie are both trained first aiders. Obviously we don't know what to expect so we may be required to assist as extra manpower.

"This is the first time I have been involved in a humanitarian disaster and we are helping to prepare in any way we can. We have had to return the surgery on board back to being a sick bay as we have a lot of dental equipment which takes up valuable medical team space.

We have also put together an emergency dental valise filled with dental instruments and supplies that we could take ashore if we were tasked to do so. Otherwise we may remain onboard to continue to treat the ships company and would await to be called forward if required.

I am keen to be able to use any of our skills in any way that we can to provide humanitarian care to the people of the Philippines it is unusual to have a deployed dental team so we are also keen to show what we have to offer."

I sincerely and genuinely apologise to everyone apart from the individual that demanded I put my money where my mouth is... I could very easily supply double the ammount of both pictures and stories of these sailors carrying out the different tasks and YES..
The first thing we tend to do is get some sort of sanitition system organised for a village, it is not nice, it is not pleasant but without proper sanitation, coughs and sneezes!! very quickly run riot throughout the population. The other awful work is sadly dealing with those that did not survive that storm.

[Toadstool]

Well done to the Royal Navy and the RAF who have been fantastic.

[glojo]

I will however take offensive if folks think I am trying to put down our 'Junior Service'

I am a great believer of inter service rivalry as long asd it is done in the spirit it is meant.

My earlier remark was military banter and long may that continue...

Note the funny ipod put down.. Great come-back

Now let's all concentrate on helping out those poor souls who NEED our help.

We all know we cannot produce ships or aircraft out of a hat and we are at, where we are at... We are doing our best.

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

glojo, fair point; banter is good. It fails if the observers don't grasp it, though. The Navy and the Air Force can (and does) contribute to this very efectively. The Army can't without silly-loads of supporting logs in place. That's not a criticism of the Army; it's horses for courses.

The Navy has trained, been equiped and applied this for years in the Caribbean. An integral part of the supporting stores pack has always been riot control kit. People always seem to riot and more likely loot when bad stuff happens.