Operation Hestia is the name of the Canadian Forces humanitarian response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake which struck Haiti on 12 January 2010. Operation Hestia is the military component of an interagency response that also involves Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). The headquarters for Operation Hestia were established in the city of Jacmel. [1]
The Canadian Forces deployed approximately 2,000 personnel, including the Air Component under the Command of Colonel Scott Clancy, and with a Naval Task Group from CFB Halifax, Nova Scotia, under the command of Maritime Command Captain Art McDonald, comprising:
The battalion of the Royal 22e Régiment deployed to Haiti can only remain on station until late-March, as they will need to deploy to California, for training, prior to deployment to Afghanistan. [2] [3]
Withdrawal is expected to be complete by April. [4]
Athabaskan was deployed to the city of Léogâne and Halifax was deployed to the city of Jacmel (Governor-General Michaëlle Jean's hometown [5] ), arriving at their respective locations off Haiti on 18 January 2010. [6] Both naval vessels deployed their ship's companies as light engineering platoons, with the use of light equipment such as chainsaws, for relief operations in Haiti. They comprised approximately 500 sailors, and the ship's boarding parties were tasked with providing security to the sailors on shore. [7] Athabaskan and Halifax had departed CFB Halifax for Haiti on 14 January 2010. [8] Relief flights using CC-130 Hercules into Jacmel Airport started on 19 January, after having previously been scouted by CH-146 Griffons on 14 January. [9] The identification of Jacmel Airport as a possible site for use and the decision to use Jacmel was made by Major-General Yvan Blondin. [10]
8 Air Communications and Control Squadron installed runway lighting on 19 January at Jacmel Airport, enabling aircraft to land at night, with radar control of the airspace provided by the nearby HMCS Halifax. Opening the Jacmel airfield 24 hours-a-day was intended to help relieve congestion at Toussaint L'Ouverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince. [11]
As of 20 January 2010, 1,504 people were evacuated from Haiti to Canada on 17 flights. 1,727 Canadians have been located while 479 were still unaccounted for. [12]
On 22 January, the DART facility in Jacmel moved from next to the Saint-Michel Hospital to the harbour. [13] The DART field hospital was set up on the pier and was operating at capacity. [14] The DART's Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit, which produces potable water from whatever source is available, including sea water, was set up on a jetty in Jacmel. [15] Air traffic control was established at Jacmel Airport and, as of 22 January, the airport could accommodate a mix of 160 military and civilian fixed-wing and helicopter flights a day. [13] The 1st Canadian Field Hospital was deployed to Léogâne. [16] The Van Doos, have been deployed to Léogâne, to help with recovery efforts. [17]
As of 24 January in Jacmel, the organization of refugee camps continued, with the start of construction of proper latrines. Food distribution was being delivered by the UN, with Canadian soldiers providing security, and Haitian Girl Guides and Boy Scouts handling crowd control and organization. [18] Canadian military firefighters were inspecting buildings in Jacmel to ascertain which were structurally sound and usable. A Canadian military clinic had been set up on the beach, with the Forces also establishing a tent city for those residents who had lost their homes. [19] Canadian soldiers were providing security for food distribution points in Léogâne. [20]
On 28 January, Jacmel's first post-quake baby was born at the DART clinic. [21] Late in January, plans were made with the U.S. to shift military flights from Toussaint L'Ouverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince to Jacmel Airport, to allow civilian flights into the capital's airport. It was expected that approximately 100 flights would be shifted to Jacmel. Canadian Forces were preparing for the increase in traffic, and were already dealing with degradation of the airstrip surface due to its current overuse. [10] [22] The Canadian Forces also started to monitor Jacmel-area orphanages to help protect against orphan-trafficking. [23]
After three weeks of operations, the Canadian Forces were "everywhere" in the Leogane-Jacmel Corridor. [24]
On 19 February, HMCS Halifax finished its operational tour, and left Jacmel. [25] As of 22 February, military evacuation flights ended, Canadians that desired to leave were required to depart via commercial flights via Port-au-Prince International Airport, which had resumed operations. Over 4600 Canadians were evacuated on 48 flights. 50 Canadians were still listed as missing, while 34 were confirmed as killed. [25] 1,681 members of the Canadian Forces remained in Haiti. [26] On 22 February, Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon announced the start of a progressive drawdown of deployed Canadian Forces in Haiti. [27]
On 2 March, HMCS Halifax returned to CFB Halifax. [28] On 5 March, it was announced that the 850 soldiers from CFB Valcartier of Joint Task Force Haiti (JTF Haiti, JTFH) would start gradually returning. [29] As of 7 March 90 members of the Van Doos had returned home. It was announced that HMCS Athabaskan would end its mission on 10 March. [30] [31] On 9 March, the Jacmel dockside Canadian walk-in medical clinic closed, after treating more than 10,000 patients. [32] As of 16 March, the Canadian military vacated Jacmel. [33] Athabaskan returned to CFB Halifax on 17 March 2010. [34] [35]
On 1 April 2010, the Joint Task Force Support Element closed the mission and the last remaining Canadian military forces left the theatre from the Port-au-Prince International Airport.
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After a fortnight of operations, a survey showed significant approval of the operation as a fitting Canadian response. [36] The UN also expressed approval of the mission by Canada, but stated that the Canadian troops would not stay long. [37] [38] After three weeks of operations, the Haitians of Jacmel were happy with the help the Canadian Forces were providing. [24] After five weeks, morale was high amongst Canadian Forces personnel deployed to Haiti. [39] After two months, the Haitian government expressed its gratitude for Canada's help. [40]
Many groups charge that the Canadian Forces departed Jacmel abruptly, leaving it in no condition to continue on as a receiving and distribution hub. After the pullout, the airport could no longer process international flights, as no equipment remained to operate the control tower, nor heavy equipment to process the planes, or security to police supplies at the airport. The seaport was left without heavy equipment to handle cargo on ships, and without security to secure the port. [41] [42]
An internal governmental report on the operation after its conclusion noted that the DART team was not given priority in aid flights, and were left without equipment supplies or security that it needed to function at full capacity. It further stated that various media groups and special interest groups were bumping supplies and personnel for the operation off the flights into Haiti from Canada. Other less critical supplies from aid groups were bumping critical supplies and equipment. It also noted that although DART should be at full readiness, all the time, it was given byes on preparedness. [43]
Iroquois-class destroyers, also known as Tribal class or DDG 280 class, were a class of four helicopter-carrying, guided missile destroyers of the Royal Canadian Navy. The ships were named to honour the First Nations of Canada.
Operation Halo was the Canadian Forces contribution of 500 personnel and 6 CH-146 Griffon helicopters to Haiti in March 2004 as part of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti to assist in stabilizing the country following February's 2004 Haitian coup d'état. Though originally mandated for a total of 90 days, the operation was extended at the request of the United Nations until July 2004 and the Canadian forces returned home in August.
HMCS Athabaskan was an Iroquois-class destroyer that served in the Royal Canadian Navy from 1972 until 2017. Athabaskan was the third ship of her class which is sometimes referred to as the Tribal class or simply as the 280 class. She is the third vessel to use the designation HMCS Athabaskan.
HMCS Halifax is a Halifax-class frigate that has served in the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Forces since 1992. Halifax is the lead ship in her class which is the name for the Canadian Patrol Frigate Project. She is the second vessel to carry the designation HMCS Halifax. She carries the hull classification symbol FFH 330.
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HMCS Goose Bay is a Kingston-class coastal defence vessel that has served in the Canadian Forces since 1998. Goose Bay is the eighth ship of her class which is the name for the Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel Project. She is the first vessel to be named Goose Bay. The coastal defence vessel is assigned to Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT) and is homeported at CFB Halifax.
The Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) (French: Équipe d'intervention en cas de catastrophe (EICC)) is a rapidly deployable team of 200 Canadian Forces personnel. It provides assistance to disaster-affected regions for up to 40 days. DART's headquarters is located in Kingston, Ontario. DART was created by the Canadian government in 1996 in the aftermath of the inadequate response to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, when Canada's aid arrived after the peak of a cholera epidemic. The government determined that it would be of the utmost importance in many disasters if it was able to rapidly deploy a group of people until long-term aid arrived. DART has an annual budget of CA$500,000, although during specific incidents the Parliament of Canada can choose to temporarily allocate millions of dollars to DART to fund their response effort. For example, Operation Torrent, the aid mission to Turkey in the wake of the 1999 earthquake which left 17,000 people dead, saw CA$15 million used by DART in the response.
HMCS Montréal is a Halifax-class frigate that has served in the Canadian Forces since 1993. Montréal is the seventh ship in her class which is based on the Canadian Patrol Frigate Project. She is the second vessel to carry the designation HMCS Montreal. She is assigned to Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT) and is homeported at CFB Halifax. Montréal serves on MARLANT missions protecting Canada's sovereignty in the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans and enforcing Canadian laws in its territorial sea and Exclusive Economic Zone. The ship has also been deployed on missions throughout the Atlantic and to the Indian Ocean; specifically the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea on anti-terrorism operations. The vessel has also participated in several NATO missions, patrolling the Atlantic Ocean as part of Standing Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT) and its successor Standing NATO Response Force Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1). The vessel is designated as a Bilingual Language Unit in the Royal Canadian Navy.
HMCS Fredericton is a Halifax-class frigate that has served in the Canadian Forces since 1994. Fredericton is the eighth ship in her class which is based on the Canadian Patrol Frigate Project. She is the second vessel to carry the name. Fredericton serves on MARLANT missions protecting Canada's sovereignty in the Atlantic Ocean and enforcing Canadian laws in its territorial sea and Exclusive Economic Zone. Fredericton has also been deployed on missions throughout the Atlantic and to the Indian Ocean; specifically the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea on anti-terrorism operations. Fredericton has also participated in several NATO missions, patrolling the Atlantic Ocean as part of Standing Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT) and its successor Standing NATO Response Force Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1). The frigate is assigned to Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT) and is homeported at CFB Halifax.
HMCS St. John's is a Halifax-class frigate that has served in the Canadian Forces and the Royal Canadian Navy since her commissioning in 1996. She is the eleventh of twelve ships in her class which is based on the Canadian Patrol Frigate Project. St. John's is named after the city of St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, a port city associated with Canadian naval history and heritage, and is the first ship in the Royal Canadian Navy to bear the name.
HMCS Ville de Québec is a Halifax-class frigate that has served in the Canadian Forces and Royal Canadian Navy since 1993. Ville de Québec is the third vessel in her class which is the name for the Canadian Patrol Frigate Project. The frigate is the second Royal Canadian Navy ship to be named Ville de Québec and is Canada's only fully bilingual warship. She is assigned to Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT) and is homeported at CFB Halifax. The vessel serves on MARLANT missions protecting Canada's sovereignty in the Atlantic Ocean and enforcing Canadian laws in its territorial sea and exclusive economic zone.
HMCS Moncton is a Kingston-class coastal defence vessel that has served in the Canadian Forces since 1998. Moncton is the ninth ship of her class. She is the second vessel to use the designation HMCS Moncton. The ship is assigned to Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT) and is homeported at CFB Halifax.
HMCS Summerside is a Kingston-class coastal defence vessel of the Royal Canadian Navy that has served in the Canadian Forces since 1999. Summerside is the twelfth, and last, ship of her class. She is the second vessel to use the designation HMCS Summerside. She is assigned to Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT) and is homeported at CFB Halifax.
Léogâne is one of the coastal communes in Haiti. It is located in the eponymous Léogâne Arrondissement, which is part of the Ouest Department. The port town is located about 30 km (19 mi) west of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince. Léogâne has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature, cuisine, and architecture. It also holds importance for archaeological and historical sites such as Fort Campan.
Jacmel Airport was the sixth busiest airport in Haiti by passenger volume before the 2010 Haitian earthquake, near the city of Jacmel, on Haiti's south coast. The airport's time zone is GMT –5, and is in World Area Code region #238. This airport is normally served by scheduled and charter airlines operating in the capital Port-au-Prince, and was opened in 2006 for travel to and from the capital and other destinations across the country.
The timeline of rescue efforts after the 2010 Haiti earthquake of 12 January 2010 involves the sequence of events in the days following a highly destructive 7.0 Mw earthquake with an epicenter 25 kilometres (16 mi) west of the nation's capital, Port-au-Prince. With at least 70% of the city's buildings destroyed, the earthquake also caused damage and loss of life in other parts of the country. The Haitian government experienced a near-collapse and affected people were left mostly to their own resources until foreign aid arrived in the following days. Initial death toll estimates ranged between 50,000 and 200,000.
Damage to infrastructure in the 2010 Haiti earthquake was extensive and affected areas included Port-au-Prince, Petit-Goâve, Léogâne, Jacmel and other settlements in southwestern Haiti. In February Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive estimated that 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings had collapsed or were severely damaged. The deputy mayor of Léogâne, which was at the epicenter of the earthquake, reported that 90% percent of the buildings in that city had been destroyed and Léogâne had "to be totally rebuilt." Many notable landmark buildings were significantly damaged or destroyed, including the Presidential Palace, the National Assembly building, the Port-au-Prince Cathedral, and the main jail. The Ministry of Education estimated that half the nation's 15,000 primary schools and 1,500 secondary schools were severely damaged, cracked or destroyed. In addition, the three main universities in Port-au-Prince were also severely damaged. Other affected infrastructure included telephone networks, radio station, factories, and museums. Poor infrastructure before the earthquake only made the aftermath worse. It would take half a day to make a trip of a few miles. The roads would also crisscross haphazardly due to disorganized construction.
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