Critical Aid to Critical Areas within Critical Time
Rocky Mountain Aid Foundation (RMAF) personnel have over 30 years of experience operating in conflict zones. This experience encompasses South America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe. RMAF's current humanitarian efforts focus on Ukraine. Our partnerships with United Nations (UN), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and numerous Ukrainian charitable organizations provide RMAF the flexibility to attain material resources and maximize humanitarian networks.
There is no city, village, or enclave in Ukraine untouched by the conflict. The remoteness, proximity to hostilities, and shattered infrastructure make servicing the population difficult. Many villagers are unable or unwilling to leave. The humanitarian aid: food, critical medical supplies, and medications, delivered by RMAF and our Ukrainian partners are often the only life-sustaining provisions provided.
The conflict disrupted conventional logistical networks to and within Ukraine. There is no direct air or sea freight delivery to Ukraine with trucking and rail freight backlogged for weeks or months. RMAF leverages commercial air freight and hand delivers to staging areas in Lviv and Dnipro. RMAF with trusted Ukrainian partners delivers supplies directly to the areas of need within three days of arriving in Europe.
RMAF and Ukrainian partner success is predicated on implementing a continuous cycle of collecting ground atmospherics, identifying critical needs, and establishing vetted networks, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of humanitarian aid delivery. Collecting ground atmospherics provides tangible information for assessing security requirements, humanitarian conditions, and support viability. Once these factors are integrated together critical needs are identified, procured, and delivered.
Most War Casualties Pass Away Before They Ever Reach a Surgeon.
The Majority of Them are from Loss of Blood.
TOURNIQUETS SAVE LIVES!
Once we arrived in Ukraine, we noticed two types of tourniquets. Low-quality imitations that often failed during use, and the others that were in high demand and expensive. Both of which are still in short supply. Unfortunately, as the war drags on so does the continual need for quality medical supplies.
Through our local network, we established a working relationship with a seam shop in L’viv doing their part in supporting the war effort. We were able to help them perfect their tourniquet design and distribute it through humanitarian channels. Trial and error along with the aid of a tree, a tire tool, and an ultrasound, we developed a sturdy, practical, and effective tourniquet that exceeds the industry standards for strength and durability.
We are able to not only help source the materials but are successful in getting the tourniquets to the people who need them the most. Currently, the 7 seamstresses are able to produce 100s of tourniquets a month. The local manufacture of these tourniquets not only provides jobs, but it also gives the Ukrainians a source of national pride to produce their own tourniquets by their own hands for their own people.
“We are using shoelaces, send us as many as possible and as fast as possible!" - Frontline Medic
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Psychological First Aid (PFA)
Our child and orphan program is designed in a progressive form. Initially, our medical professionals implement Psychological First Aid (PFA)- an evidence-based intervention published by National Child Traumatic Stress Network and the National Center for PTSD.
"Psychological First Aid" (PFA) -a modular approach to help children, adolescents, adults, and families in the immediate aftermath of disaster and terrorism. Individuals affected by a disaster or traumatic incident, whether survivors, witnesses, or responders to such events, may struggle with or face new challenges following the event. PFA was developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and the National Center for PTSD, with contributions from individuals involved in disaster research and response."
PFA is designed to reduce the initial distress caused by traumatic events and to foster short- and long-term adaptive functioning and coping. PFA does not assume that all survivors will develop severe mental health problems or long-term difficulties in recovery. Instead, it is based on an understanding that disaster survivors and others affected by such events will experience a broad range of early reactions (e.g., physical, psychological, behavioral, and spiritual). Some of these reactions will cause enough distress to interfere with adaptive coping, and recovery may be helped by support from compassionate and caring disaster responders.
Rocky Mountain Aid Foundation and its experienced and committed volunteers, understand the importance of mitigating the initial trauma experience in order to optimize long-term psychological and physical health for all involved. In phase two of our program, these same medical and psychological professional volunteers assess and treat the children housed in “group homes” throughout the country. We do this by partnering with established NGOs that have long supported orphan children in Ukraine, some since 2006. This second phase is more detailed and comprehensive, with the opportunity to create individualized treatment plans that encompass the biological, psychological, and environmental variables necessary to provide long-lasting care to these vulnerable victims of unimaginable stress and loss.