Asking for assistance
 

This is a purely personal post but I'm asking for some assistance. My mom lives on Saint Maarten as a teacher and we've all seen the near 95% destruction of everything on the island from Hurricane Irma this past week. The last direct communication I had with her was around 0545 the morning of Irma hitting. Since then I have not heard anything from her. I did receive two calls from the hotel corporation where her condo is saying she was fine and the second call was to let me know she was on a military evacuation flight to San Juan. That was Saturday afternoon around 1630. Since then absolutely nothing. Now we've found out approximately 1000 Canadians are stranded at the Saint Maarten airport and being turned away from every flight out because our government hasn't done a thing. We have no idea if she is in San Juan or still stuck on Saint Maarten. I'm asking for MLU members to start putting pressure on our federal government to send planes and bring people home. I'm so disgusted right now with Canada.

Thank you for reading and doing anything to help.
Jordan.

This is a YouTube video of FaceTime with a young Canadian medical student stuck at the airport.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6QBP55TUYrY

The Hamilton Spectator article
https://www.thespec.com/news-story/7...el-abandoned-/

Jordan, I wholeheartedly agree with you. The Canadian government also disgusts me, I suppose our PM is too busy with selfies and PR photos with illegal immigrants to take care of our people...
The CF should be sending transport aircraft to the Caribbean to help out however they can. No reason a CF-130 can't land in a destroyed airport. That's what they are built for.

The US Air National Guard is there. A squadron from NewYork was on the ground in San Juan 12hrs after being tasked with the mission. Flying C130's into Saint Maarten to evac US citizens. Thevy been flying non stop.. Why can't our government do the same. Its absolutely disgraceful from the Canadian Government.

Im asking for members to please start calling their MP's on this.

https://blog.westjet.com/hurricane-i...-irma:facebook

Good luck to your mother for a safe and speedy return.

As I write that is less that 2 hrs before scheduled arrival. Get her moving!

The news scroll Monday was that the military's disaster assistance recce was headed to Antigua.

Jordan,
I am glad that you have received news that your Mum is OK. I hope it all works out and she is home safe soon.
Regards Rick.

Jordan, did Mom make it back to Canada? I see on the news that a couple flights arrived from the Caribbean last night

thanks all for the concern and msgs. No nothing yet. We still haven't heard directly from her. Last we got she is staying with a friend on the island and is fine.

Sorry to hear that your mom was in that area during the hurricane but glad to hear that she is with friends and ( I presume ) safe now .

It must be nerve wracking to not being able to speak directly to her for all of this time.

Hi Jordan,

I hope things are getting better for you and your family. It really is shameful our government does not fund the military the way it should be. Canada is hosting an international SAR EX in Hamilton shortly. Of the four types of aircraft that the Canadians fly for SAR, Hercules, Buffalo(fixed wing), Cormorant and Griffon(rotary wing), we could only send a Herc and a Griffon. The other two had no available aircraft because of maintanence and low airframe hours before maintenance(also know as no money in the budget!). Not a very good showing. It took the 1 CAD commander to step in and remove aircraft from operational units to send to the EX, probably taking those aircraft from SAR duties, and leaving those units nuetered, to avoid the embarassment of having the invited countries asking why we did not send a full compliment of aircraft that have very different duties and capabilities. We have some of the best trained and dedicated people serving in our military. They deserve much better. Welcome to Canada.

Perry