Medical Volunteer For Puerto Rico

Flying out Monday (Oct 23) to provide urgent medical care to the good people (Americans!) of Puerto Rico who are still suffering the effects of Hurricane Maria. Most of the island —3 million people - is still without power. Communications are down—if people need help, like an ambulance, most have no way to call for assistance. More than 1 million people don't have water..families are drinking rainwater out of puddles. This too is causing health problems.

I  am Mary Lehman (ALice ALverez is a  FB alias left over from my kids’ soccer day. I am the one that is going and I will be drawing the funds to my account to fund the trip. Sorry for the confusion,) I am  a Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technician with experience providing medical care in international disasters. I have worked in Greece as a medic (twice) and recently in the Philippines. I am currently on ski patrol, I have search & rescue experience and was a fire camp medic. Because I am also fluent in Spanish, I felt called to help the Puerto Rican people. I saw a request for help on Facebook —I cleared my calendar and I’m going.

I am partnering with Disaster Tech- a group I worked with as a medical volunteer in Greece in 2015. They are in a more remote area in Puerto Rico, now near the town of Lares, and are setting up solar power, wi fi and basically collaborating with agencies there to re-establish communications in the country. My base will be with them and I will provide medical care where they are and where they travel to.
I am bringing a large bag of medical gear as well as my own gear to be self-sufficient - tent, sleeping bag, stove, food for a week (MREs!) and three sets of water purification systems. (The number one rule in volunteering is not to use limited resources for yourself.)

Funds will be used for medical supplies, communication expenses (SAT phone/cellphone), transportation costs, housing as necessary, food and water to donate (if I can buy it). Anything left over, I will donate to Disaster Tech so they can continue their good work.
Individuals are making the difference in Puerto Rico — not large bureaucracies and big organizations. This small group I am going with has contacts in the country and a base already set up. Please support me with even a token donation.....when things are hard on these missions (as they often are), I draw strength from the love and support of people back home.

Thank you for your support.