Hi Jan,
The situation IS very different from the emergencies in Haiti and in Brazil. As you wrote, most of the time people have had some warning that they were going to be affected. We also have had a pretty decent emergency response that has run relatively smoothly (it was interesting to hear an IFE colleague, who worked in Myanmar after Cyclone Nargis and whose home in Brisbane was inundated, reflect on the difference in terms of a good infrastructure that allowed for a good response). We are very lucky indeed.
There are however, many problems in the IFE response and even now, the carers of formula fed infants are in a bad situation. There are many thousands of people without power and this is likely to remain the case for weeks to months. There are water shortages. Without either one of these resources formula feeding is just incredibly difficult. One problem that has already been brought to my attention is the difficulty that carers have having in cleaning bottles. In one evacuation centre the appropriate resources for cleaning bottles were simply not available and one of the Red Cross volunteers had suggested that crushed rocks in water might be used to scarify and clean bottles. 
We have simply not had the resources (educational and planning) to ensure that the IFE component of this emergency response is appropriate. I think it has been a bit of a wake up call, we must do better.
Karleen Gribble
Australia

-----Original Message-----
From: Lactation Information and Discussion [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jan Cornfoot
Sent: Friday, 14 January 2011 2:16 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Infant Feeding in Emergencies (long, sorry)

I have read with interest the comments about Haiti, and now Queensland, 
where I live, and where family and many friends have been affected. The 
floods in Brisbane are entirely different from Haiti (or Brazil).

ps Virginia Thorley has been evacuated to a friend's home as her street was 
flooded (not her home), and without power. She says she is fine. others are 
on this list have been affected by the floods. We are very mindful of the 
devastation this has caused to so many, but frankly, I think we still live 
in the lucky country.

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