By Kevin Schweers

Many of us witnessing the devastation of earthquake-stricken Haiti have been moved to generously donate to the heroic recovery and rebuilding efforts. For William C. Drake, PharmD and NCPA member, that wasn’t enough.

 

Just hours after the deadly earthquake struck Haiti Jan. 12, he was getting ready to leave snowy Shelby Township, Mich., for the Caribbean island.

Drake is one of the Chief Pharmacists for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Disaster Response Teams, a blend of private sector and federal volunteers specially trained and temporarily activated for humanitarian missions at home and abroad. He did similar stints during hurricanes Katrina and Gustav.

Drake arrived in Port-au-Prince Jan. 15, initially one of eight U.S. pharmacists. He has been working 16- to 20-hour days out of the U.S. Embassy, sleeping on its lawn, and subsisting on MREs (meals ready to eat) and bottled water.

Below we have posted, with permission, some of the remarkable e-mails and pictures Drake has been sending to family and friends, including NCPA, to chronicle his experiences.