A false alarm -- this time

The alarm bells sounded across the Pacific. Another major earthquake had hit near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands that lie between India and Thailand late Sunday. There was even panic in Indonesia's Aceh province and also reports, according to AP news sources, that at least one coastal village in Sri Lanka had escaped to a Buddhist temple on higher ground.
Would this be another BIG ONE such as the combined earthquake and tsunami that had killed at least 200,000 unsuspecting people in the same areas of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, southern India, Thailand, and the Maldives back on December 26, 2004?
Fortunately, this 7.2 quake, without an accompanying tsunami, didn't wipe out masses of people this time, however, there's speculation it was just a precursor to another major disaster.
One Canadian, who was well aware of the alarm bells, was Dr. Dirk van der Meer, the 38-year-old Armstrong dentist, who had spent three weeks in May as part of the BC/FORT (British Columbia Forensic Odontology Research Team), which was sponsored by Foreign Affairs Canada.
"Are you going back?" I asked, point blank.
"No," was his answer and then he explained that Foreign Affairs Canada was discontinuing sending a dental forensic team as of August 31, but he went on to say international dental, DNA and fingerprint experts would still be needed
While there was a concerned tone in Dr. van der Meer's voice, he said he planned to lecture alongside of Dr. David Hodges in Prince George, B.C. in September and the dental forensic team, which he's a part of, would be represented at a conference to be held in Seattle in February, 2006.
As Dr. van der Meer explained in a mid-June column, he and Dr. Glenn Keryluk of Coquitlam, B.C. were called in to identify some of the tsunami victims by comparing data in the computer and also "spending time in the morgue, doing some final releases."
When I asked him at that time if he would consider returning to Thailand, Dr. van der Meer answered: "I'd go back in a minute if they asked me. It was quite an experience. I won't say I enjoyed it because that would be inappropriate, but I certainly valued the experience ... if not life changing, at least it was attitude changing, that's for sure."
While Dr. van der Meer still might be called if there's another devastating quake, I was curious as to what Canada has done, or will do, in regards to assistance.
On January 10, 2005, Prime Minister Paul Martin announced that Canada had agreed to a comprehensive package of up to $425 million spread over the next five years -- $265 million for humanitarian and rehabiliation assistance and $160 million for ongoing reconstruction assistance from 2005-09 to the affected region.
PM Martin was quoted. at the time, as saying: "Canada is among the most generous international donors to respond to this disaster with humanitarian and early recovery assistance ... Canada will ensure this contribution is effective and lasting."
In January, 16 organizations were eligible for matching funds. They included: Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA Canada), Canadian Food for Hungry International, Canadian Lutheran World Relief, Canadian Red Cross, CARE Canada, Development and Peace, Doctors Without Borders, FOCUS Humanitarian Assistance Canada, Mennonite Central Committee Canada, Oxfam Canada, Oxfam Quebec, Salvation Army, Save the Children, UNICEF Canada, World Vision Canada and World University Service of Canada.
Of course, people always have doubts as to where the funds went and to answer those questions, the Government of Canada issued an update six months after the massive disaster.
This, in part, is what the update said: With support from Canada and other donors, UNICEF, the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC), and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have together provided assistance to more than 2 million people in the affected areas. In addition, UNICEF has provided 1.1 million children in affected countries with oral hydration salts. In Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and other affected countries, IFRC has provided 840,000 people with assistance, including shelter, health care, water and sanitation, and counseling. In Indonesia, ICRC has performed 700 surgeries, treated more than 10,000 outpatients. provided 290,000 people with relief supplies, and cleaned 545 wells.
So Canada's chest should swell for a change. This nation has disbursed more than one-third of its funds ($159 million) and CIDA is funding 12 relief and early rehabilitation projects totaling $89.6 million, etc., etc.
While the millions of dollars can often boggle the Ol' Columnist's brain; let me just say, I'm proud to be Canadian. We can be a generous bunch of unequalled magnitude in a crisis.
NEXT: The second in a three-part series on 'Earth, Wind and Fire'!

YOGI SEZ (Gems from Yogi Berra, Hall of Famer and catcher for the New York Yankees): "You got to be careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there" ... "You give 100% in the first half of the game, and if that isn't enough, in the second half you give what's left."