Guinness UDV Team travels to Afghanistan - Brief Article

Modern Brewery Age, Jan 28, 2002

With the support of the Spirit of America fund, four New York City firefighters and two New York City police officers embarked on the "Spirit of America Ground Zero to Ground Zero Airlift," a special humanitarian airlift carrying 90,000 pounds of desperately needed relief supplies to the people of Afghanistan. The Spirit of America Ground Zero to Ground Zero Airlift was the first non-government humanitarian airlift of emergency relief supplies to arrive in Afghanistan.

The cargo was made up of cooking oil, an essential commodity in war-ravaged Afghanistan, powdered milk, pasta, rice, sugar, and blankets. The relief team, which included two of our colleagues from Guinness UDV North America, left Ground Zero in New York on December 18 for Ostende, Belgium, where they loaded a cargo transport plane. From there the team flew on to Baku, Azerbaijan to refuel, and then to Bagram Airbase, 32 miles north of Kabul, Afghanistan.

After landing at Bagram, the supplies were unloaded and consigned to the World Food Program of the United Nations. The Spirit of America team then delivered the relief supplies to an orphanage in the middle of Kabul with over 800 of Afghanistan's neediest and most vulnerable.

The team also met with about 200 U.S. troops, many whom had been in Afghanistan since early October. Some troops remarked that they had not received mail or been able to contact family or loved ones for the last three weeks. "Being able to meet and talk with these guys really helps. It's the best thing that's happened since I got here in October," said one elated staff sergeant "It really drove home the reason why we're all here," he added.

Firefighter Joseph Higgins of Ladder Co. 111, whose firefighter brother died at the WTC (Joe and another of his brothers, also a firefighter, recovered their brothers body in the WTC rubble sixteen days after the Sept. 11 attacks) brought along a piece of concrete from the WTC and a piece of one of the airplanes. With the help of US troops buried the objects in Afghanistan.

Father John Delendick, the newly appointed chaplain of the Fire Department of New York, named after his colleague, Fire Chaplain Mychal Judge who died in the World Trade Center attacks said, "This airlift to the other ground zero s the ultimate gesture of healing. It is important for all off us in New York City's emergency services and I want to thank Guinness UDV for responding to this need to help by supporting this humantarian gesture."

The police and firefighters were accompanied by Guinness UDV staff, as well as three journalists. From the fire department, FDNY Chaplain John Delendick, Fire Fighter 1st Grade Joseph Higgins of Ladder Company 111, Lawrence Connors - Officer in Charge FDNY Fort Totten Operations, and Battalion Chief Donald Hayde of special Operations Command. From the NYPD, Detective Thomas McDonald Elite Service Squad #2, Emergency Service Unit, and Police Officer Jose R. Guerra Elite Service Squad #3, Emergency Service Unit.