US volunteers fuel Nepal relief, give 800 litres free
Dehradun: More than 800 litres of free petrol and diesel have reached hospitals, relief camps and people in flood-hit parts of Nepal through a three-member volunteer team from the US, which even used heavy-lift drones and zip-lines to move fuel into areas where roads and access routes had been washed away. The volunteers, working with the Fuel Relief Fund (FRF), have spent the past five days procuring fuel locally and distributing it according to need, while also supplying LPG cylinders to relief camps running community kitchens .
Joseph Lee, a retired firefighter from Texas, and two other FRF volunteers travelled to Nepal as part of the organisation’s disaster-response effort. Lee told TOI that FRF, a volunteer-based organisation operating since 2005, had supplied fuel during nearly 30 disasters, including earthquakes in Turkey, Venezuela, Nepal and Haiti, besides emergencies in Morocco, Mozambique, the Philippines and the US. “Our organisation works purely on funds raised through donations,” he said.
Lee said FRF used those donations to buy fuel from local sources in disaster-hit countries rather than transporting supplies from abroad. “We have so far distributed more than 800 litres of petrol and diesel to people and agencies in need. We understand the value of this critical resource in situations like this, and our priorities are hospitals and relief camps,” he said.
Connectivity remained the biggest challenge, with several roads and approaches destroyed by the floods. “We have transported free fuel using heavy-lift drones and zip-lines where accessibility was washed away, and we also work with local associates to make sure it reaches those who actually need it,” Lee said.
His co-volunteer Katherine said the team had also supplied LPG cylinders to remote relief camps after community kitchens began running short of cooking fuel. “Many community kitchens were short of cooking fuel, so we provided LPG cylinders to ensure survivors continued getting meals. We will continue despite the challenges,” she said.
Lee said five more FRF volunteers would join the team in Nepal within days, expanding its relief operations. On Thursday, the group left with 210 litres of fuel for Dhunche, one of the areas badly affected by the floods, despite difficult road conditions. “Reaching there is difficult because of the poor roads, but we are determined to extend our help,” he said.
Saurab Rimal, founder of Nepal-based NGO Karmayog Foundation, which is also involved in relief work, praised the initiative. “What they are doing is really appreciable in this situation. I haven’t seen anyone else doing this so far,” he said.
Joseph Lee, a retired firefighter from Texas, and two other FRF volunteers travelled to Nepal as part of the organisation’s disaster-response effort. Lee told TOI that FRF, a volunteer-based organisation operating since 2005, had supplied fuel during nearly 30 disasters, including earthquakes in Turkey, Venezuela, Nepal and Haiti, besides emergencies in Morocco, Mozambique, the Philippines and the US. “Our organisation works purely on funds raised through donations,” he said.
Lee said FRF used those donations to buy fuel from local sources in disaster-hit countries rather than transporting supplies from abroad. “We have so far distributed more than 800 litres of petrol and diesel to people and agencies in need. We understand the value of this critical resource in situations like this, and our priorities are hospitals and relief camps,” he said.
Connectivity remained the biggest challenge, with several roads and approaches destroyed by the floods. “We have transported free fuel using heavy-lift drones and zip-lines where accessibility was washed away, and we also work with local associates to make sure it reaches those who actually need it,” Lee said.
His co-volunteer Katherine said the team had also supplied LPG cylinders to remote relief camps after community kitchens began running short of cooking fuel. “Many community kitchens were short of cooking fuel, so we provided LPG cylinders to ensure survivors continued getting meals. We will continue despite the challenges,” she said.
Lee said five more FRF volunteers would join the team in Nepal within days, expanding its relief operations. On Thursday, the group left with 210 litres of fuel for Dhunche, one of the areas badly affected by the floods, despite difficult road conditions. “Reaching there is difficult because of the poor roads, but we are determined to extend our help,” he said.
Saurab Rimal, founder of Nepal-based NGO Karmayog Foundation, which is also involved in relief work, praised the initiative. “What they are doing is really appreciable in this situation. I haven’t seen anyone else doing this so far,” he said.
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