January 17, 2010, Updated September 24, 2012

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Medical and Rescue Team has set up a field hospital and begun rescuing and treating earthquake victims in the Haitian capital of Port-Au-Prince.

The IDF team is locating and rescuing survivors trapped in ruined buildings, including many who were injured during the collapse of the UN headquarters.

The field hospital is equipped to receive dozens of ambulances evacuating the injured from the disaster-struck areas. Between Friday night and Saturday, dozens of truckloads of medical and logistical equipment were unloaded and the hospital was set up.

The Israeli hospital is located in a soccer field near the capital’s airport. Upon arrival, C4I teams laid the groundwork for the hospital by deploying a communications infrastructure.

Two teams, comprised of search and rescue personnel and canine operators from the IDF canine unit, were sent out on rescue missions, with the first team dispatched to assist in the rescue of survivors at the UN headquarters.

The rescue teams are working in cooperation with the local authorities. They will remain in Haiti for at least two weeks.

Online updates about the IDF Medical and Rescue Team in Haiti are available on Twitter at @IDFinHaiti.

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