Singaporean response to Hurricane Katrina
Encyclopedia
Following that devastation of the United States
Gulf Coast by Hurricane Katrina
, the Prime Minister
of Singapore
, Lee Hsien Loong
, sent a letter to US President George W. Bush
promising support for the American people in their relief effort in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
In his letter, Lee wrote:
On 1 September, the Republic of Singapore Air Force
(RSAF) sent three CH-47 Chinook
helicopters to Louisiana
to assist in relief operations. These three aircraft, which were based in the Peace Prairie attachment in Grand Prairie, Texas
, arrived in Fort Polk
, Louisiana
in the afternoon of 1 September to aid rescue operations mainly in resupply and airlifting missions.
Thirty eight RSAF personnel, comprising pilots, aircrew and technicians were also deployed. The Singapore team worked with the Texas Army National Guard
in the relief efforts.
On 5 September, a fourth Chinook helicopter was sent to help in the relief operations, and the number of personnel deployed increased to 45.
Throughout the Singaporean relief effort, the four Chinooks flew 61 sorties. They transported hundreds of evacuees from flooded areas to safety, especially from the Louisiana Superdome
and Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
. They also picked up stragglers around the New Orleans area. The Chinooks carried a total of 540 tonnes of equipment, humanitarian aid, cargo, and supplies and rescued over 800 evacuees. They were involved in moving sand bags to block up the broken levee
s. The number of aircraft sent exceeded that of all other foreign countries.
RSAF Detachment Commander of Peace Prairie, Lieutenant-Colonel Kevin Rodrigues, said his men were in high spirits and remained focused in their mission.
American Ambassador to Singapore Frank Lavin
said the American people were deeply grateful for Singapore's help. He added that RSAF personnel were saving lives in Louisiana and that the other Gulf Coast States and Americans would long remember this.
The RSAF’s Peace Prairie detachment has worked together with the Texas Army National Guard on other relief missions in the past, including relief operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd
in North Carolina
in 1999 and fire-fighting and flood relief operations in Texas
in 2000.
During Hurricane Katrina, the Singapore Red Cross
launched a public appeal to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. It requested donations from Singaporeans to the emergency so that the fund could be used to assist displaced and homeless victims through the American Red Cross
.
columnist for the New York Times Thomas Friedman
wrote an article Singapore and Katrina reflecting on the American government's management performance after the hurricane, which he felt was slovenly and compared poorly to Singapore's governance. He cited among others Kishore Mahbubani
, dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy
who said "... You lose New Orleans, and you have 100 other cities just like it. But we're a city-state. We lose Singapore and there is nothing else. ... ".
News articles
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Gulf Coast by Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Singapore
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore is the head of the government of the Republic of Singapore. The President of Singapore appoints as Prime Minister a Member of Parliament who, in his opinion, is most likely to command the confidence of a majority of MPs.The office of Prime Minister...
of Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Lee Hsien Loong
Lee Hsien Loong
Lee Hsien Loong is the third and current Prime Minister of Singapore. He is married to Ho Ching, who is the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Temasek Holdings. He is the eldest son of Singapore's first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew....
, sent a letter to US President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
promising support for the American people in their relief effort in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
In his letter, Lee wrote:
"The thoughts of Singaporeans and me are with you and the American people whose lives have been devastated by Hurricane Katrina. America has always been generous in helping others in their time of need. We in Southeast Asia have experienced that, most recently during the tsunami relief operations. Singapore is happy to reciprocate in a small way by participating in your efforts to save lives and restore normality to your people."
Relief operations
Republic of Singapore Air Force
The Republic of Singapore Air Force is the air arm of the Singapore Armed Forces. It was first established in 1968 as the Singapore Air Defence Command...
(RSAF) sent three CH-47 Chinook
CH-47 Chinook
The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. Its top speed of 170 knots is faster than contemporary utility and attack helicopters of the 1960s...
helicopters to Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
to assist in relief operations. These three aircraft, which were based in the Peace Prairie attachment in Grand Prairie, Texas
Grand Prairie, Texas
Grand Prairie is a city in Dallas, Ellis, and Tarrant counties in the U.S. state of Texas and is a part of the Mid-Cities region in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. Grand Prairie is a suburb of both Dallas and Fort Worth and had a population of 175,396 at the 2010 census.- History :The city of...
, arrived in Fort Polk
Fort Polk
Fort Polk is a United States Army installation located in Vernon Parish, approximately 7 miles east of Leesville, Louisiana and 20 miles north of DeRidder, Louisiana....
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
in the afternoon of 1 September to aid rescue operations mainly in resupply and airlifting missions.
Thirty eight RSAF personnel, comprising pilots, aircrew and technicians were also deployed. The Singapore team worked with the Texas Army National Guard
Texas Army National Guard
The Texas Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army, the United States National Guard and the Texas Military Forces . Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support...
in the relief efforts.
On 5 September, a fourth Chinook helicopter was sent to help in the relief operations, and the number of personnel deployed increased to 45.
Throughout the Singaporean relief effort, the four Chinooks flew 61 sorties. They transported hundreds of evacuees from flooded areas to safety, especially from the Louisiana Superdome
Louisiana Superdome
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
and Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center is in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. The lower end of building one is located upriver from Canal Street on the banks of the Mississippi River. It is named after former Mayor of New Orleans Ernest N. Morial...
. They also picked up stragglers around the New Orleans area. The Chinooks carried a total of 540 tonnes of equipment, humanitarian aid, cargo, and supplies and rescued over 800 evacuees. They were involved in moving sand bags to block up the broken levee
Levee
A levee, levée, dike , embankment, floodbank or stopbank is an elongated naturally occurring ridge or artificially constructed fill or wall, which regulates water levels...
s. The number of aircraft sent exceeded that of all other foreign countries.
RSAF Detachment Commander of Peace Prairie, Lieutenant-Colonel Kevin Rodrigues, said his men were in high spirits and remained focused in their mission.
American Ambassador to Singapore Frank Lavin
Frank Lavin
Frank Lavin is a native of Canton, Ohio. As Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, Lavin headed the International Trade Administration for the United States Department of Commerce from 2005 until 2007....
said the American people were deeply grateful for Singapore's help. He added that RSAF personnel were saving lives in Louisiana and that the other Gulf Coast States and Americans would long remember this.
The RSAF’s Peace Prairie detachment has worked together with the Texas Army National Guard on other relief missions in the past, including relief operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd
Hurricane Floyd
Hurricane Floyd was the sixth named storm, fourth hurricane, and third major hurricane in the 1999 Atlantic hurricane season. Floyd triggered the third largest evacuation in US history when 2.6 million coastal residents of five states were ordered from their homes as it approached...
in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
in 1999 and fire-fighting and flood relief operations in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
in 2000.
During Hurricane Katrina, the Singapore Red Cross
Singapore Red Cross
The Singapore Red Cross started out in 30 September 1949 as part of the British Red Cross Society. In 6 April 1973, the Singapore Red Cross was officially incorporated by the Parliament of Singapore...
launched a public appeal to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. It requested donations from Singaporeans to the emergency so that the fund could be used to assist displaced and homeless victims through the American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
.
"Singapore and Katrina"
American Op-EdOp-ed
An op-ed, abbreviated from opposite the editorial page , is a newspaper article that expresses the opinions of a named writer who is usually unaffiliated with the newspaper's editorial board...
columnist for the New York Times Thomas Friedman
Thomas Friedman
Thomas Lauren Friedman is an American journalist, columnist and author. He writes a twice-weekly column for The New York Times. He has written extensively on foreign affairs including global trade, the Middle East, and environmental issues and has won the Pulitzer Prize three times.-Personal...
wrote an article Singapore and Katrina reflecting on the American government's management performance after the hurricane, which he felt was slovenly and compared poorly to Singapore's governance. He cited among others Kishore Mahbubani
Kishore Mahbubani
Kishore Mahbubani is a notable academic and is currently Professor in the Practice of Public Policy and the Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore. From 1971 to 2004 he served in the Singaporean Foreign Services, ending up as Singapore's Permanent...
, dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy
Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy
The Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy is a school of the National University of Singapore . It was established in 1992 as the Master of Public Policy Programme under the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences of National University of Singapore in collaboration with the Kennedy School of Government...
who said "... You lose New Orleans, and you have 100 other cities just like it. But we're a city-state. We lose Singapore and there is nothing else. ... ".
See also
- Hurricane KatrinaHurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
- Hurricane Katrina disaster reliefHurricane Katrina disaster reliefThe disaster recovery response to Hurricane Katrina included federal government agencies suchas the Federal Emergency Management Agency , state and local-level agencies, federal and National Guard soldiers, non-governmental organizations, charities, and private individuals...
- International response to Hurricane KatrinaInternational response to Hurricane KatrinaMany countries and international organizations offered the United States relief aid in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.According to the European Commission, one week after the disaster, on September 4, 2005, the United States officially asked the European Union for emergency help, asking for...
External links
- Public Appeal - Singapore Red CrossSingapore Red CrossThe Singapore Red Cross started out in 30 September 1949 as part of the British Red Cross Society. In 6 April 1973, the Singapore Red Cross was officially incorporated by the Parliament of Singapore...
News articles
- RSAF Chinooks complete hurricane relief operations in Louisiana - Channel NewsAsiaChannel NewsAsiaChannel NewsAsia is an English language pan-Asian news network based in Singapore and owned by MediaCorp. Started on 1 March 1999 based in Singapore by Television Corporation of Singapore, it was launched internationally on 12 February 2001 as the international broadcasting arm of Channel...
(10 September 2005) - RSAF helicopters continue to help US hurricane victims - Channel NewsAsiaChannel NewsAsiaChannel NewsAsia is an English language pan-Asian news network based in Singapore and owned by MediaCorp. Started on 1 March 1999 based in Singapore by Television Corporation of Singapore, it was launched internationally on 12 February 2001 as the international broadcasting arm of Channel...
(8 September 2005) - RSAF Chinooks fly 61 sorties in US hurricane relief effort - Channel NewsAsiaChannel NewsAsiaChannel NewsAsia is an English language pan-Asian news network based in Singapore and owned by MediaCorp. Started on 1 March 1999 based in Singapore by Television Corporation of Singapore, it was launched internationally on 12 February 2001 as the international broadcasting arm of Channel...
(7 September 2005) - Singapore Red Cross launches appeal to help Hurricane Katrina victims - Channel NewsAsiaChannel NewsAsiaChannel NewsAsia is an English language pan-Asian news network based in Singapore and owned by MediaCorp. Started on 1 March 1999 based in Singapore by Television Corporation of Singapore, it was launched internationally on 12 February 2001 as the international broadcasting arm of Channel...
(5 September 2005) - S'pore sends 4th Chinook helicopter to aid US hurricane relief efforts - Channel NewsAsiaChannel NewsAsiaChannel NewsAsia is an English language pan-Asian news network based in Singapore and owned by MediaCorp. Started on 1 March 1999 based in Singapore by Television Corporation of Singapore, it was launched internationally on 12 February 2001 as the international broadcasting arm of Channel...
(5 September 2005) - RSAF Chinook helicopters help in US hurricane relief operations - Channel NewsAsiaChannel NewsAsiaChannel NewsAsia is an English language pan-Asian news network based in Singapore and owned by MediaCorp. Started on 1 March 1999 based in Singapore by Television Corporation of Singapore, it was launched internationally on 12 February 2001 as the international broadcasting arm of Channel...
(2 September 2005) - RSAF Deployment to Assist in Hurricane Katrina Relief Operations - Ministry of Defence (Singapore)Ministry of Defence (Singapore)The Ministry of Defence is a ministry of the Government of Singapore entrusted with overseeing the national defence needs of the Republic of Singapore. It is the headquarters of the Singapore Armed Forces...
(2 September 2005)