Too good to leave a "comment"...

Here's Baddboy's post that he couldn't get on the main page:

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Damn thing won't let me post again so I'll comment here.

My entire adult life has been dedicated in whole or in part to assisting people in need whether that be injured, ill or in some way oppressed. This hasn't been just by the nature of what I do occupationally but I'm sure it's a by-product.

My first hurricane was hurricane Elena in 1985 and that image burned in my head of neighbors and friends without roofs, my family not having a generator and most of the area at the time not having the financial resources we had after Katrina has driven me in some way to try and make a difference.

In 1992 after I got out of the military the first time Hurricane Andrew struck South Florida and Sourthern Louisiana with a force that this country hadn't seen in almost 30 years but due to the increase in population in the coastal areas and shotty construction techniques so many more people had to suffer. I was on a very well equipped and financed Rescue Squad in Maryland at the time and got permission to take one of our Heavy rescue vehicles and 4 personnel to Morgan City Louisiana to assist the fire department in any way we could. We carried our own food, water and peronal gear for a weeks stay. That experience has had me thinking for many years.

Government Agencies are too large, cumbersame and full of red tape to be able to move with any speed or efficiency. Large NGO's are also built with alot of red tape and usually don't have the resources for immediate needs that can be in place in less than 24 hrs post incident.

I have been running an idea through my head since 1992 to put together a light, fast well equipped and financed organization that has the capability to move into an area in less than 24 hrs practically anywhere in the world, assess needs and start delivering whatever necessary assistance inside of 48 hrs. I know is sounds like a pipedream and maybe it is but this incident in Haiti i guess is the straw that broke the camels back so I will be putting pen to paper here in the next couple of days to start soliciting financial assistance to start putting this group together.

I am not a business or finance type person. I am an operations management type so if any of you are interested in helping me put togehter the right package to send for sponsorship don't be shy. Jambo knows how to get hold of me and from you guys I'll take a phone call 24 hrs a day.

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Speaking from first-hand personal experience, I can tell you that the fastest response to those in need after Katrina (at least where I was in Jackson County) came not from the National Guard, or FEMA, or Red Cross... it came from small, private agencies and groups organized at a local level, even if that locality was more than a thousand miles away, which many were. Pennsylvania State Police guarding the entrance to my subdivision, church groups from Indiana and Ohio set up our first POD at the Moose Lodge parking lot within 48 hours of the storm, volunteer tree removal experts from Colorado and Texas running chain saws the very next day.

So, I think that Baddboy's idea is spot-on. Immediate, experienced, efficient assistance after an earthquake, tornado, hurricane, fire, flood... can make a world of difference to the people effected. If there is anything I can do to assist, just ask. In fact, I encourage you to use this forum to brainstorm and look for new ideas or solutions to issues that are bound to present themselves as your project moves on.

Well done, my friend!