Twenty-six USAF firefighters arrived in Haiti more than a month ago, providing safe airfield operations while also searching for bodies. To date, the team has recovered the remains of 15 Americans and the remains of others who were part of the estimated 50 known guests who are still missing at a now-destroyed hotel. The firefighters also helped out at the Toussaint L'Ouverture International in Port-au-Prince. They fixed a broken water line and set up a fire station at the busy airport. Meanwhile, the fire team worked with contracting vendors to bring in equipment and provide training for 70 Haitian firefighters.

The team conducted a three-day aircraft egress exercise. They used an old Boeing 727 on the ramp as their training mockup. Through an interpreter, they were able to coordinate a single plan for emergency response between the Haitian and international forces assisting them.

"I have been to a few [under-developed] countries in my career, and I have to say that this one (Haiti) is the worst to date," said Staff Sgt. Thomas Sidoti, assigned to Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst, N.J. "We have only been here for a short time, and I honestly feel that we have made an impact on the local community; from helping clean up the city to training the local firefighters on the flight line here at the airport. We may not be able to stay that long to help the infrastructure of the city, but I feel we are doing the best we can in the short amount of time that we have."

In addition to Scott AFB, other bases who sent Airmen to assist in relief efforts are Beale AFB, CA.; Charleston AFB, SC; Whiteman AFB, MO.; Langley AFB, VA; Dover AFB, DE.; Shaw AFB, SC, and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ.