December 30, 2004
Albany- Every day, Bernard Hamilton works to pack up items needed in case of disaster.
This warehouse at Albany's Marine Base is part of the Defense Department's Humanitarian Assistance Program. It's full of everything from medical supplies, to food rations ready to be shipped to countries in need.
So when the trucks arrived Thursday to pick up loads for South Asia, the workers were ready. "We were prepared," said Bill Lane.
And they got the forklifts moving. "We started about 12 o'clock this afternoon and we've been loading from there on since then," Lane said. "We will continue until everything is loaded tonight."
They filled 13 tractor trailers with more than 94,000 cases of food rations. This will provide 948,000 meals. Each box contains food that will help the people of Sri Lanka and Singapore. But this is just one way America is helping those people survive one of the worst natural disasters in history.
This probably won't be the last time these workers load trucks headed for Tsunami and earthquake victims. "We're also prepared to send any type of medical supplies, clothing if needed," Lane said.
It's their job to get supplies loaded and ready to go as fast as they can. It's up to someone else to deliver them.
"They have ways of getting in to them and into remote areas and make sure that they can touch everybody they possible can right now."
With Bernard behind the wheel, it speeds up the process of delivering this food straight to Sri Lanka, a gift from the people of the United States of America.
posted at 9:42 p.m. by brannon.stewart@walb.com
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