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A Spanair flight departing Barajas Airport in Madrid, Spain for the Canary Islands crashed and burned, killing many of the 167 passengers onboard. Of the disaster victims, most were vacationers. Eyewitnesses stated that the crashe was extremely violent in nature, presumably catching fire shortly after leaving the runway, then exploding in flames and a thousand pieces.

So far there is no determination as to what went wrong and certainly far too early in the process to arrive at any conclusion. However, what IS known is that the plane aborted its first takeoff attempt for reasons that were not identified, save for the fact it was technical in nature. On the second attempt, Spanair flight JK5022 failed to clear the runway and crashed into a wooded area at the end of the runway at Terminal 4.

On April 3rd, 2008 a small plane carrying 11 people crashed in Suriname. Suriname is located between French Guiana and Guyana in northern South America.

All 11 people on board were killed. Not only did they perish, but their remains were burned beyond recognition.

The charred remains of the disaster victims will be sent to the Netherlands were Dutch scientists will try to make positive identifications on all 11 passengers. Because of the severity of the burns, this process could take up to a year to complete.

The Dutch have their work cut out for them, but with diligence and the best that science has to offer, the families of the victims should be able to find closure.

KARE is an organization formed last year with funding received from federal disaster grants. The group started helping flood victims in August, and workers will continue assisting them through the one-year anniversary of the event. With its funding coming solely from the federal grant, the organization does not have the funding to directly contribute to many fund-recovery efforts, but KARE representatives rather focus on educating the public about disaster recovery, giving flood victims a chance to talk about their experiences and putting them in contact with groups who can assist them, said KARE team leader Michele Hafer.

In Osawatomie, Kansas, KARE continues to visit with a variety of community groups, listening to people tell their stories and helping those that still suffer from the psychological phases of the disaster as the city continues to rebound.

In the first few months after the disaster, KARE spent a lot of time assisting residents with F.E.M.A. materials and speaking with the local residents to determine if any of their immediate needs were not being met. They would also visit companies to see how they could help.

“Part of the challenge is finding the people who are displaced and need help,” Gish said, noting that oftentimes the help KARE would provide focused on putting individuals and families into contact with an organization who could best help them out.”

So far, KARE, along with help from other major disaster relief organizations, have helped communities slowly pick up the pieces and get even a little of what they lost back.

It seems as if floods victims in the mid-west are getting even more disaster relief. Apparently, the IRS is offering a tax extension for those affected.

If you live in Bollinger, Butler, Carter, Cape Girardeau, Iron, Madison, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, St. Francois, Stoddard, or Wayne counties. the tax deadline has been extended until May 19th.

This includes filing your taxes, paying them, and any other time sensitive issues.

March 24th 2008: A 60-year-old levee on the Black River, a tributary of the White River, ruptured upstream from Des Arc, Arkansas. Des Arc is the county seat of the northern district of Prairie County, Arkansas.

The 26.5 ft. crest, the highest since 1915, flooded most of the 2 square mile area. This area, as of the 2000 census, reported 1,933 people, 783 households, and 534 families residing in the city.

Many of these families have never seen anything like this. Most of them had to evacuate their homes. Many are still waiting for the flood waters to recede. In some areas, only the tops of houses and light poles are visible.

The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department was forced to close several roads. Eleven major highways in northeast Arkansas are currently closed. Some for the first time in the state’s history.

Emergency management officials have estimated damage to homes, businesses and infrastructure at $2 million. With the threat of even more significant flooding to due ever-increasing water levels from nearby rivers and tributaries, that cost is expected to increase dramatically.

Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe has declared 35 of the 75 counties of Arkansas as “disaster areas”.

Ginger Bankston Bailey, head of the Arkansas Crisis Response Team for Arkansas’s VOAD, said:

“Right now we don’t have numbers or even a clear understanding of just how bad it is, but so far, it doesn’t look good,” she said. “However, we’re holding a state-wide conference call to share information. We should have a better picture of where we’ll be needed and what will be needed then.”

Arkansas is just one of several states suffering from severe flooding. Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky & Mississippi have also experienced mild to severe flooding causing many thousands to be displaced.

Volunteers have begun helping families regain some of what they lost. If you are interested in providing relief efforts to Arkansas or neighboring states, click here.

(source)A group calling itself the Disaster Divas has collected 800 prom and wedding dresses for the victims of last month’s tornadoes.

Founder Heather Russell, a graduate student, came up with the idea that started with a few friends asking for donated dresses from people they knew.

Soon stores were contributing new dresses as well.

Russell says she has been floored by the response she’s received.

On Saturday, the Divas gave away more than 90 of the dresses at Macon County High School, in an area hit heavily by the Feb. 5 tornadoes. The dresses, and a few tuxedos, were available both to storm victims and to others facing economic hardship.

Those dresses that didn’t find new owners on Saturday will be put in storage for future giveaways.

Providing aid to disaster victims is something that everyone can do. Whether it’s a matter of getting to an area where disaster has struck to help victims rebuild or a project designed to help teens retain a sense of normalcy, all of the aid that disaster victims receive has value.

(source)It took a while to find the veteran who was blinded in the war and then lost his home to the tornadoes, but with help from the Veterans Administration hospital, we finally found Staff Sgt. Jason Pepper (retired). He had just moved out of the motel where he was staying and had found a temporary home to move into.

He was very moved by the offer to help, and I felt his modesty kept him from any further TV coverage that was being pursued by the local media. (They had picked up on the story from other sources.)

The Church of Christ Disaster Relief center in Nashville will stay in touch with Pepper to help him when he either rebuilds or finds a new permanent home. The center has already sent tens of thousands of dollars worth of goods to the victims of this set of tornadoes.

Disaster is not something that strikes some people but not others. Disaster victims can be those who have given a great deal, those who have nothing to give.

Many victims are uncomfortable receiving aid and publicity about their situation. Still it is important to - when so compelled - to provide aid when you can do so.

(source)There were three dead and 31 wounded after the bleachers collapsed in Cobb Stadium last Saturday. But don’t worry - this was only a test.

The disaster drill was to prepare the Canes Emergency Response Team (CERT), a student-run organization whose members are prepared to assist during disasters and respond to a problem to which the police and firefighters cannot react immediately. Their ability to handle this situation was graded by professionals in different emergency fields.

"Their effort was outstanding and practice makes perfect," said Chuck Brannet, a paramedic and driver for the Coral Gables Fire Department.

When disaster drills are conducted, those who will be providing aid are able to better communicate and respond when disaster strikes. In other words, drills help to ensure that disaster victims receive the need that they require when disaster strikes.

(source)About 1,640 people in eight communities in the upper West Region who lost their property in last year’s floods are benefiting from a 48,550 Canadian dollar funded project to rehabilitate their houses.

The Canadian Fund for Local Initiatives under the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) is funding the project through the People’s Action to Win Life All-Round, (PAWLA) a local NGO in Tumu.

Under the project, the NGO would provide assorted relief assistance including 138 bundles of roofing sheets, 200 bags each of maize and rice, 380 pieces of blankets and 600 mosquito nets to the floods victims.

Even though those who were affected by flodds in Ghana received aid closer to the time of the disaster, there is still aid that is needed and - fortunately - that is coming in.