.
United States Federal Government: The United States government has allocated USD 400,000 (GBP 200,000, EUR 300,000) to India, Indonesia, the Maldives and Sri Lanka. Officials are currently working on a USD 4m (GBP 2m) aid package to help the Red Cross. Also, the United States has dispatched disaster teams to aid the nations affected. The United States is also preparing an initial USD 15 million (GBP 8m) aid package for affected nations. An additional USD 20m (GBP 11m) has been offered as an emergency line of credit. On 31 December the aid was raised to USD 350m (GBP 190m, EUR 260m).
Military: The United States has dispatched numerous C-5 Galaxy and C-17 Globemaster III strategic airlifters and ten C-130 Hercules tactical airlifters containing disaster supplies, nine P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft for search and rescue support, and several teams from the Departments of State and Defense to coordinate additional assistance. They are using Utapao Naval Air Base in Thailand as their regional hub.
Additionally, the United States has offered assistance from its troops stationed in Japan. USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier battle group, which was in port in Hong Kong, was dispatched to the coast of Sumatra to provide support to the Indonesian province of Aceh. In addition, a amphibious battlegroup led by USS Bonhomme Richard, scheduled for a port call in Guam, were dispatched to render assistance.
A total of 48 Navy and Marine Corps helicopters are involved. Each ship can produce around 90,000 US gallons of fresh water per day. The US Navy has also deployed the USNS Mercy, a 1,000-bed hospital ship (to be initially staffed to support 250 patient beds).[122] More than 12,600 Department of Defense personnel are involved in the relief effort, Operation Unified Assistance.[123]
Private Sector: As of 10 January 2005 US based relief groups and non-governmental organisations reported having raised over USD 515m. One charity said online pledges were arriving at a rate of USD 100,000 an hour. Notable donors include American corporations; among them the Coca-Cola Company (USD 10m), Dow Chemical Company (USD 5m), The New York Stock Exchange Foundation (USD 1m), Microsoft Corporation (USD 3m), and Dell (USD 3m initial, up to USD 5m through employee fundraising).
Pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson and Bristol-Myers Squibb have provided medical supplies and drugs in addition to monetary assistance. Hollywood celebrities have also donated, including Steven Spielberg (USD 1.5m) and Sandra Bullock (USD 1m). Private citizens, communities and schools have also begun fundraising efforts and have contributed.
US President George W. Bush donated USD 16,000 from his personal funds; the city of Fargo, North Dakota gave USD 10,000 of taxpayer money; and motorists in Chattanooga, Tennessee have been allowed to donate money to the relief effort in place of paying for traffic citations.[124] President Bush also called for a nationwide fundraising drive, headed by former US Presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton, and ordered American flags to fly at half-staff "as a mark of respect for the victims of the Indian Ocean Earthquake and the resulting Tsunamis".[125 |
