By Santiago, Chile Relief Team (Originally in Spanish)
On March 13, 2015, a forest fire broke out in the beautiful seaport city of Valparaíso, Chile, and burned more than 500 hectares. Approximately 4,500 people were evacuated from the area, 32 people were injured including 19 firefighters, and one woman lost her life due to cardiorespiratory distress.
Hearing the tragic news of the fire, Supreme Master Ching Hai asked our local Association members to help those in need, with funds available for reimbursement.
We investigated the situation quickly and found that the government had taken care of the needs of the people affected. Also, we were relieved to find that considerably fewer animal friends were injured compared to previous fires, so fewer were hospitalized.
With CLP 206,995 (US$325) in funds from Master remaining from previous Chile relief work, and CLP 127,491 (US$ 200) contributed by our Association members from the Santiago Center, we purchased relief supplies.
On March 15, we delivered aid to the Veterinary Hospital Santo Tomás. Items included gauze dressing, special burn patches, antibiotic eye drops, general antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, pain-reducing and fever-reducing medicine, various medical supplies, as well as puppy, dog and cat food and cat litter. We also delivered medical supplies and dog and cat food to the veterinarian Dr. Paola Carmona who cared for the injured animal friends in Valparaíso free of charge. In addition, we gave a 15-kilogram bag of dog food for a mother dog called “Black” who heroically hid her nine puppies a meter deep in the earth to protect them from harm.
Later in the week, we went again to deliver aid to families that offered their homes as temporary homes for animal companions of people affected by the fire. We contributed bags of food and medications for the animal friends.
Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai and Her International Association for Fire Relief Work in Valparaíso, Chile
| Description | Amount (CLP) | Receipt |
|---|---|---|
| Veterinary aid | 25,000 | A |
| Food for animal friends | 242,554 | B |
| Medications for animal friends | 66,932 | C |
| Total | CLP 334,486 (US$525) |
Throughout the relief operation, the team members paid for their own transportation and food.
