Operation Hestia
Encyclopedia
Operation Hestia
is the name of the Canadian Forces
humanitarian response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake
which struck Haiti on 12 January, 2010. Operation Hestia is the military component of an interagency response that also involves Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT) and the Canadian International Development Agency
(CIDA). The headquarters for Operation Hestia were established in the city of Jacmel
.
, Nova Scotia
, under the command of Maritime Command Captain Art McDonald, comprising:
The battalion of the Royal 22e Régiment
deployed to Haiti can only remain on station until late-March, as they will need to deploy to California, for training, prior to deployment to Afghanistan.
Withdrawal is expected to be complete by April.
and the Halifax was deployed to the city of Jacmel
(Governor-General Michaëlle Jean
's hometown), arriving at their respective locations off Haiti on 18 January 2010. Both naval vessels deployed their ship's companies as light engineering platoons, with the use of light equipment such as chainsaws, for relief operations in Haiti. They comprised approximately 500 sailors, and the ship's boarding parties were tasked with providing security to the sailors on shore. Athabaskan and Halifax had departed CFB Halifax
for Haiti on 14 January 2010. Relief flights using CC-130 Hercules into Jacmel Airport
started on 19 January, after having previously been scouted by CH-146 Griffon
s on 14 January. The identification of Jacmel Airport as a possible site for use and the decision to use Jacmel was made by Major-General Yvan Blondin.
8 Air Communications and Control Squadron
installed runway lighting on 19 January at Jacmel Airport, enabling aircraft to land at night, with radar control of the airspace provided by the nearby HMCS Halifax
. Opening the Jacmel airfield 24 hours-a-day was intended to help relieve congestion at Toussaint L'Ouverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince.
As of 20 January, 2010, 1,504 people were evacuated from Haiti to Canada on 17 flights. 1,727 Canadians have been located while 479 were still unaccounted for.
On 22 January, the DART facility in Jacmel moved from next to the Saint-Michel Hospital to the harbour. The DART field hospital was set up on the pier and was operating at capacity. The DART's Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit, which produces potable water from whatever source is available, including sea water, was set up on a jetty in Jacmel. Air traffic control was established at Jacmel Airport and, as of 22 January, the airport could accommodate a mix of 160 military and civilian fixed-wing and helicopter flights a day. The 1st Canadian Field Hospital was deployed to Léogâne. The Van Doos, have been deployed to Léogâne, to help with recovery efforts.
As of 24 January in Jacmel, the organization of refugee camps continued, with the start of construction of proper latrines. Food distribution was being delivered by the UN, with Canadian soldiers providing security, and Haitian Girl Guides and Boy Scouts
handling crowd control and organization. Canadian military firefighters were inspecting buildings in Jacmel to ascertain which were structurally sound and usable. A Canadian military clinic had been set up on the beach, with the Foces also establishing a tent city for those residents who had lost their homes. Canadian soldiers were providing security for food distribution points in Léogâne.
On 28 January, Jacmel's the first post-quake baby was born at the DART clinic. Late in January, plans were made with the U.S. to shift military flights from Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince to Jacmel Airport, to allow civilian flights into the capital's airport. It was expected that approximately 100 flights would be shifted to Jacmel. Canadian Forces were preparing for the increase in traffic, and were already dealing with degradation of the airstrip surface due to its current overuse. The Canadian Forces have also started to monitor Jacmel-area orphanages to help protect against orphan-trafficking.
After three weeks of operations, the Canadian Forces are "everywhere" in the Leogane-Jacmel Corridor.
On 19th February, HMCS Halifax
finished it operational tour, and left Jacmel.
As of the 22nd February, military evacuation flights have ended, Canadians desiring to leave are now required to depart via commercial flights via Port-au-Prince International Airport, which have resumed. Over 4600 Canadians were evacuated on 48 flights. 50 Canadians are still listed as missing, while 34 have been confirmed as killed. 1,681 members of the Canadian Forces still remain in Haiti.
On 22nd February, Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon
announced the start of a progressive drawdown of deployed Canadian Forces in Haiti.
On 2nd March, HMCS Halifax returned to CFB Halifax.
On 5th March, it was announced that the 850 soldiers from CFB Valcartier
of Joint Task Force Haiti (JTF Haiti, JTFH) would start gradually returning.
As of the 7th March, 90 members of the Van Doos have returned home. It was announced that HMCS Athabaskan would end its mission on 10th March.
On 9th March, the Jacmel dockside Canadian walk-in medical clinic closed, after treating more than 10,000 patients.
As of 16th March, the Canadian military have vacated Jacmel.
Athabaskan is expected to have returned to CFB Halifax
on 17 March 2010.
On 17th March, HMCS Athabaskan returned to port.
Many groups charge that the Canadian Forces departed Jacmel abruptly, leaving it in no condition to continue on as a receiving and distribution hub. After the pullout, the airport could no longer process international flights, as no equipment remained to operate the control tower, nor heavy equipment to process the planes, or security to police supplies at the airport. The seaport was left without heavy equipment to handle cargo on ships, and without security to secure the port.
An internal governmental report on the operation after its conclusion noted that the DART team was not given priority in aid flights, and were left without equipment supplies or security that it needed to function at full capacity. It further stated that various media groups and special interest groups were bumping supplies and personnel for the operation off the flights into Haiti from Canada. Other less critical supplies from aid groups were bumping critical supplies and equipment. It also noted that although DART should be at full readiness, all the time, it was given byes on preparedness.
Hestia
In Greek mythology Hestia , first daughter of Cronus and Rhea , is the virgin goddess of the hearth, architecture, and of the right ordering of domesticity and the family. She received the first offering at every sacrifice in the household. In the public domain, the hearth of the prytaneum...
is the name of the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
humanitarian response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
which struck Haiti on 12 January, 2010. Operation Hestia is the military component of an interagency response that also involves Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT) and the Canadian International Development Agency
Canadian International Development Agency
The Canadian International Development Agency was formed in 1968 by the Canadian government. CIDA administers foreign aid programs in developing countries, and operates in partnership with other Canadian organizations in the public and private sectors as well as other international organizations...
(CIDA). The headquarters for Operation Hestia were established in the city of Jacmel
Jacmel
Jacmel, also known by its indigenous Taíno name of Yaquimel, is a town in southern Haiti founded in 1698. It is the capital of the department of Sud-Est and has an estimated population of 40,000, while the municipality of Jacmel had a population of 137,966 at the 2003 Census.The buildings are...
.
Force composition
The Canadian Forces deployed approximately 2,000 personnel, along with a Naval Task Group from CFB HalifaxCFB Halifax
Canadian Forces Base Halifax is Canada's east coast navy base and home port to the Atlantic fleet, known as Maritime Forces Atlantic....
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, under the command of Maritime Command Captain Art McDonald, comprising:
- the destroyer HMCS AthabaskanHMCS Athabaskan (DDH 282)HMCS Athabaskan is an that has served the Canadian Forces since 1972.Athabaskan is the third ship of her class which is sometimes referred to as the Tribal-class or simply as the 280-class. She is the third vessel to use the designation .Athabaskan was laid down on 1 June 1969 at Davie...
, carrying a CH-124 Sea KingCH-124 Sea KingThe Sikorsky CH-124 Sea King is a twin-engined anti-submarine warfare helicopter designed for shipboard use. The Canadian variant is based on the US Navy's SH-3 and has been continuously in service with the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Forces since 1963.-Design and development:The advent of... - the frigate HMCS HalifaxHMCS Halifax (FFH 330)HMCS Halifax is a that has served in the Canadian Forces since 1992.Halifax is the lead ship in her class which is the name for the Canadian Patrol Frigate Project. She is the second vessel to carry the designation...
; - six CH-146 GriffonCH-146 GriffonThe Bell CH-146 Griffon is the Canadian military variant of the Bell 412EP, a multi-use utility helicopter. The CH-146 is used in a wide variety of roles, including aerial firepower, reconnaissance, search and rescue and aero-mobility tasks....
helicopters from 1 Wing KingstonCFB KingstonCanadian Forces Base Kingston is a Canadian Forces Base located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.CFB Kingston is home to the Communications and Electronics Branch of the Canadian Forces. The base also hosts the Canadian Forces School of Communications and Electronics...
squadrons; - a CC-177 GlobemasterC-17 Globemaster IIIThe Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas, the C-17 is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo to main operating bases or forward operating bases throughout...
; - a CC-130 Hercules for airlift support;
- the Disaster Assistance Response TeamDisaster Assistance Response TeamThe Disaster Assistance Response Team is a rapidly deployable team of 200 Canadian Forces personnel. It provides assistance to disaster-affected regions for up to 40 days. DART's headquarters is in Kingston, Ontario...
with three reverse osmosisReverse osmosisReverse osmosis is a membrane technical filtration method that removes many types of large molecules and ions from solutions by applying pressure to the solution when it is on one side of a selective membrane. The result is that the solute is retained on the pressurized side of the membrane and...
water purification units; - an urban rescueRescueRescue refers to responsive operations that usually involve the saving of life, or prevention of injury during an incident or dangerous situation....
and recovery team made up of search-and-rescue technicians and firefighters from across Canada; - a detachment of Military PoliceCanadian Forces Military PoliceThe Canadian Forces Military Police provide military police services to the Canadian Forces.Canadian Military Police are unusual in that they are classified as Peace Officers in the Criminal Code of Canada, which gives them the same powers as civilian law enforcement personnel to enforce Acts of...
; and - a Land ForceCanadian Forces Land Force CommandThe Canadian Army , previously called Land Force Command, is responsible for army operations within the Canadian Forces. The current size of the Army is 19,500 regular soldiers and 16,000 reserve soldiers, for a total of around 35,500 soldiers...
group drawn mostly from Canadian Forces Base ValcartierCFB ValcartierCanadian Forces Base Valcartier is a Canadian Forces Base located in the municipality of Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier, approximately north of Quebec City...
in QuebecLand Force Quebec AreaLand Force Quebec Area is responsible for all Canadian army operations and administration in the region within the province of Quebec. LFQA is headquartered in Montreal.- Regular Force :* Land Force Quebec Area Training Centre - Courcelette...
, comprising:- the Task Force Headquarters, including the Task Force Commander’s staff;
- a signals squadron,
- a light infantryLight infantryTraditionally light infantry were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. Light infantry was distinct from medium, heavy or line infantry. Heavy infantry were dedicated primarily to fighting in tight...
battalionBattalionA battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
drawn from the 3rd Battalion, Royal 22e RégimentRoyal 22e RégimentThe Royal 22nd Regiment is an infantry regiment and the most famous francophone organization of the Canadian Forces. The regiment comprises three Regular Force battalions, two Primary Reserve battalions, and a band, making it the largest regiment in the Canadian Army...
, with two rifle companies, one service support company, one headquarters company, and a field engineer element; plus - a National Support Element, offering transport, maintenance, Military Police and medical services, as well as combat service support.
The battalion of the Royal 22e Régiment
Royal 22e Régiment
The Royal 22nd Regiment is an infantry regiment and the most famous francophone organization of the Canadian Forces. The regiment comprises three Regular Force battalions, two Primary Reserve battalions, and a band, making it the largest regiment in the Canadian Army...
deployed to Haiti can only remain on station until late-March, as they will need to deploy to California, for training, prior to deployment to Afghanistan.
Withdrawal is expected to be complete by April.
Mission timeline
The Athabaskan was deployed to the city of LéogâneLéogane
Léogâne is a seaside town in Ouest Department, Haïti. It is located in the eponymous arrondissement, the Léogâne Arrondissement. The port town is located about West of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince. The town was at the epicenter of the 12 January 2010 earthquake, and was catastrophically...
and the Halifax was deployed to the city of Jacmel
Jacmel
Jacmel, also known by its indigenous Taíno name of Yaquimel, is a town in southern Haiti founded in 1698. It is the capital of the department of Sud-Est and has an estimated population of 40,000, while the municipality of Jacmel had a population of 137,966 at the 2003 Census.The buildings are...
(Governor-General Michaëlle Jean
Michaëlle Jean
Michaëlle Jean is a Canadian journalist and stateswoman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 27th since Canadian Confederation, from 2005 to 2010....
's hometown), arriving at their respective locations off Haiti on 18 January 2010. Both naval vessels deployed their ship's companies as light engineering platoons, with the use of light equipment such as chainsaws, for relief operations in Haiti. They comprised approximately 500 sailors, and the ship's boarding parties were tasked with providing security to the sailors on shore. Athabaskan and Halifax had departed CFB Halifax
CFB Halifax
Canadian Forces Base Halifax is Canada's east coast navy base and home port to the Atlantic fleet, known as Maritime Forces Atlantic....
for Haiti on 14 January 2010. Relief flights using CC-130 Hercules into Jacmel Airport
Jacmel Airport
Jacmel Airport was the sixth busiest airport in Haiti by passenger volume prior to the 2010 Haiti earthquake, located near the city with the same name, Jacmel, on Haiti's south coast. The airport's timezone is GMT –5, and is located in World Area Code region #238 Jacmel Airport was the sixth...
started on 19 January, after having previously been scouted by CH-146 Griffon
CH-146 Griffon
The Bell CH-146 Griffon is the Canadian military variant of the Bell 412EP, a multi-use utility helicopter. The CH-146 is used in a wide variety of roles, including aerial firepower, reconnaissance, search and rescue and aero-mobility tasks....
s on 14 January. The identification of Jacmel Airport as a possible site for use and the decision to use Jacmel was made by Major-General Yvan Blondin.
8 Air Communications and Control Squadron
CFB Trenton
Canadian Forces Base Trenton , is a Canadian Forces base located northeast of Trenton, Ontario. It is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force and is the hub for air transport operations in Canada and abroad...
installed runway lighting on 19 January at Jacmel Airport, enabling aircraft to land at night, with radar control of the airspace provided by the nearby HMCS Halifax
HMCS Halifax (FFH 330)
HMCS Halifax is a that has served in the Canadian Forces since 1992.Halifax is the lead ship in her class which is the name for the Canadian Patrol Frigate Project. She is the second vessel to carry the designation...
. Opening the Jacmel airfield 24 hours-a-day was intended to help relieve congestion at Toussaint L'Ouverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince.
As of 20 January, 2010, 1,504 people were evacuated from Haiti to Canada on 17 flights. 1,727 Canadians have been located while 479 were still unaccounted for.
On 22 January, the DART facility in Jacmel moved from next to the Saint-Michel Hospital to the harbour. The DART field hospital was set up on the pier and was operating at capacity. The DART's Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit, which produces potable water from whatever source is available, including sea water, was set up on a jetty in Jacmel. Air traffic control was established at Jacmel Airport and, as of 22 January, the airport could accommodate a mix of 160 military and civilian fixed-wing and helicopter flights a day. The 1st Canadian Field Hospital was deployed to Léogâne. The Van Doos, have been deployed to Léogâne, to help with recovery efforts.
As of 24 January in Jacmel, the organization of refugee camps continued, with the start of construction of proper latrines. Food distribution was being delivered by the UN, with Canadian soldiers providing security, and Haitian Girl Guides and Boy Scouts
Scouts d'Haïti
The Association Nationale des Scouts d'Haïti is the national Scouting organisation of Haiti. Scouting in Haiti started in 1916 and became a member of the World Organisation of the Scout Movement in 1932 and again in 1940...
handling crowd control and organization. Canadian military firefighters were inspecting buildings in Jacmel to ascertain which were structurally sound and usable. A Canadian military clinic had been set up on the beach, with the Foces also establishing a tent city for those residents who had lost their homes. Canadian soldiers were providing security for food distribution points in Léogâne.
On 28 January, Jacmel's the first post-quake baby was born at the DART clinic. Late in January, plans were made with the U.S. to shift military flights from Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince to Jacmel Airport, to allow civilian flights into the capital's airport. It was expected that approximately 100 flights would be shifted to Jacmel. Canadian Forces were preparing for the increase in traffic, and were already dealing with degradation of the airstrip surface due to its current overuse. The Canadian Forces have also started to monitor Jacmel-area orphanages to help protect against orphan-trafficking.
After three weeks of operations, the Canadian Forces are "everywhere" in the Leogane-Jacmel Corridor.
On 19th February, HMCS Halifax
HMCS Halifax (FFH 330)
HMCS Halifax is a that has served in the Canadian Forces since 1992.Halifax is the lead ship in her class which is the name for the Canadian Patrol Frigate Project. She is the second vessel to carry the designation...
finished it operational tour, and left Jacmel.
As of the 22nd February, military evacuation flights have ended, Canadians desiring to leave are now required to depart via commercial flights via Port-au-Prince International Airport, which have resumed. Over 4600 Canadians were evacuated on 48 flights. 50 Canadians are still listed as missing, while 34 have been confirmed as killed. 1,681 members of the Canadian Forces still remain in Haiti.
On 22nd February, Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon
Lawrence Cannon
Lawrence Cannon, PC is a Canadian politician from Quebec and Prime Minister Stephen Harper's former Quebec lieutenant. On October 30, 2008 he was sworn in as Minister of Foreign Affairs...
announced the start of a progressive drawdown of deployed Canadian Forces in Haiti.
On 2nd March, HMCS Halifax returned to CFB Halifax.
On 5th March, it was announced that the 850 soldiers from CFB Valcartier
CFB Valcartier
Canadian Forces Base Valcartier is a Canadian Forces Base located in the municipality of Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier, approximately north of Quebec City...
of Joint Task Force Haiti (JTF Haiti, JTFH) would start gradually returning.
As of the 7th March, 90 members of the Van Doos have returned home. It was announced that HMCS Athabaskan would end its mission on 10th March.
On 9th March, the Jacmel dockside Canadian walk-in medical clinic closed, after treating more than 10,000 patients.
As of 16th March, the Canadian military have vacated Jacmel.
Athabaskan is expected to have returned to CFB Halifax
CFB Halifax
Canadian Forces Base Halifax is Canada's east coast navy base and home port to the Atlantic fleet, known as Maritime Forces Atlantic....
on 17 March 2010.
On 17th March, HMCS Athabaskan returned to port.
Reactions
After a fortnight of operations, a survey showed significant approval of the operation as a fitting Canadian response. The UN also expressed approval of the mission by Canada, but stated that the Canadian troops would not stay long. After three weeks of operations, the Haitians of Jacmel are happy with the help the Canadian Forces are providing. After five weeks, morale is high amongst Canadian Forces personnel deployed to Haiti. After two months, the Haitian government expressed its gratitude for Canada's help.Many groups charge that the Canadian Forces departed Jacmel abruptly, leaving it in no condition to continue on as a receiving and distribution hub. After the pullout, the airport could no longer process international flights, as no equipment remained to operate the control tower, nor heavy equipment to process the planes, or security to police supplies at the airport. The seaport was left without heavy equipment to handle cargo on ships, and without security to secure the port.
An internal governmental report on the operation after its conclusion noted that the DART team was not given priority in aid flights, and were left without equipment supplies or security that it needed to function at full capacity. It further stated that various media groups and special interest groups were bumping supplies and personnel for the operation off the flights into Haiti from Canada. Other less critical supplies from aid groups were bumping critical supplies and equipment. It also noted that although DART should be at full readiness, all the time, it was given byes on preparedness.
See also
- Canadian Expeditionary Force CommandCanadian Expeditionary Force CommandCanadian Expeditionary Force Command is an operational element of the Canadian Forces for operations outside of Canada....
- Canada's humanitarian response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake
- Jacmel AirportJacmel AirportJacmel Airport was the sixth busiest airport in Haiti by passenger volume prior to the 2010 Haiti earthquake, located near the city with the same name, Jacmel, on Haiti's south coast. The airport's timezone is GMT –5, and is located in World Area Code region #238 Jacmel Airport was the sixth...
- Opération Séisme Haiti 2010Opération Séisme Haiti 2010Opération Séisme Haiti 2010 is France's military relief operation for the 12 January 2010 earthquake....
, the French military's counterpart - Operation Unified ResponseOperation Unified ResponseOperation Unified Response is the United States military's response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake. It is being conducted by Joint Task Force Haiti and commanded by United States Southern Command Military Deputy Commander Lieutenant General Ken Keen, although the overall U.S...
, the United States military's counterpart - Operation HALOOperation HALOOperation Halo was the Canadian Forces contribution of ~500 personnel and 6 CH-146 Griffon helicopters to Haiti in March 2004 as part of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti to assist in stabilizing the country following February's 2004 Haitian rebellion...
, a 2004 Canadian Forces mission to Haiti
External links
- Operation Hestia, at the Canadian Forces Expeditionary Force Command (CEFCOM)