Martin Bjerregaard of Golder Associates on the Ground in Haiti

Jan 21, 2010

In response to last week's devastating earthquake in Haiti, Martin Bjerregaard, a Waste Management Specialist from Golder Associates in the UK, has flown into Haiti to assist local authorities with assessing the safest means of removing the debris and rebuilding of the towns and cities devastated by the earthquake. He was accompanied by Claudia Moeller, a Senior Engineer from Golder in the US.

Martin and Claudia have gone to Haiti as volunteers with Disaster Waste Recovery ("DWR"), a not-for profit organisation founded in 2005 with seed funding from Golder (www.disasterwaste.org). DWR was established to focus on waste and debris management in disasters and works in cooperation with the United Nations and other humanitarian agencies.

Martin founded DWR after participating in clean-up efforts in New Orleans, where he witnessed first-hand the devastation in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

"It feels good to be able to use my experience to help in these situations," says Bjerregaard. "Sometimes there are moments of happiness when, for example, families are reunited or special belongings found, but, for most of the time the work is harrowing. One has a huge sense of what ordinary people have lost in such a disaster. What is happening in Haiti is the worst I have seen in my career thus far. The rescue and rehabilitation effort will take years."

Martin has been in touch with a Golder contact daily since landing in Haiti to send news and confirm he and Claudia are safe. He has been mentioned on the Institute of Demolition Engineers' website.

For more information about Golder Associates or Martin's work or presence in Haiti, please contact:
Name: Lea Chambers
Title: Global Marketing Leader
Golder Associates Corporation
Tel: 403-299-4603 Cell: 403-975-3398 E-mail: Lea_Chambers@golder.com