The David McAntony Gibson Foundation (DMGF), a Toronto based registered Canadian charity, is deploying its operational arm Global Medic to help survivors of Hurricane Durian in the Philippines. A Rapid Response Team (RRT) is heading to the region carrying water purification equipment, water bladders, emergency and essential medicines, a portable field clinic, water purification tablets, and rescue supplies. The team is comprised of professional rescuers: paramedics, police officers and firefighter, who volunteer their time to be part of the disaster team. Global Medic's RRT has responded to 14 disasters in the past 2 years including the Tsunami in Sri Lanka; earthquakes in Pakistan and Indonesia; and Hurricanes in Grenada and Guatemala.

Typhoon Durian struck the Philippines on November 30th and December 1st, 2006. It caused widespread flooding, damaged property, and triggered landslides in eleven provinces. The National Disaster Command Centre reports that 455,593 civilians have been affected. 29,790 civilians have been evacuated from their homes and are now living in 190 designated shelters. 208 civilians are confirmed dead and that number is expected to rise to around the 600 mark. 261 people are missing and 82 are injured. The heaviest area of damage is in three villages near Daraga in Albay Province near the Mount Mayon Volcano.

The team will work alongside members of SNAP, a rescue unit form the Ministry of Mines in the Philippines. The team will establish a central water depot from where it will dispense clean drinking water to survivors left homeless by Typhoon Durian. Mobile water purification units will be deployed to reach isolated areas. Team members will man a mobile rescue unit / ambulance

Media Contact: Director Rahul Singh rsingh@dmgf.org

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