BANGKOK, Thailand, Aug. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Kenyon International Emergency
Services, a full-service disaster management company, announced in a ceremony
today the donation of an estimated $100,000 worth of equipment and supplies to
the Thai government. The items are intended to help that country continue the
job of identifying victims and supporting others who were affected by the
December 2004 tsunami.
Under contract by the Australian government, Kenyon personnel had arrived
on the island of Phuket in southwestern Thailand within 48 hours of the
December 26 disaster help in the relief and recovery work. After completing
its Phuket mission on August 18, the company elected to transfer ownership of
the above resources in order to strengthen the government's ability to conduct
its ongoing recovery efforts.
Robert Jensen, President and CEO of Kenyon, praised the work that the Thai
government had done in identifying victims and returning them to their home
countries, as well as in helping Phuket recover from the terrible destruction
done to its people and its business. He also praised the work of other
governments in working together to help support the families of the victims
who died in the tsunami.
"As for Kenyon," Mr. Jensen said, "this was one of the most difficult
deployments in the company's 75 year history. In addition to the scope of the
disaster and the incredible loss of life, there was the challenge of dealing
with more than 30 nations who lost citizens in the tsunami. I am very proud
of the more than 150 Kenyon people who served in Thailand, and served with
distinction, from the first days of the disaster through the difficult months
that followed."
At one point, Kenyon had more than 100 staff members in Phuket and was
instrumental in laying groundwork for several key activities including victim
identification and repatriation of victims to their home countries. Kenyon
also built a "wall of remembrance" at the repatriation center for families of
victims to gather and remember their loved ones.
Kenyon will hand over computers, administrative supplies, hospital and
mortuary equipment, and other material to the Thailand Tsunami Victim
Identification Center and to the provincial government in Phuket. Before
announcing its donation, Kenyon also helped train Thai police officers to
support the disaster victim identification process through to final
completion.
More than 5000 people died in Thailand as a result of the tsunami, which
claimed the lives of more than 200,000 in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and
other countries.
Kenyon International Emergency Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Houston-based Service Corporation International (NYSE: SCI), is the world's
leading disaster management company. Founded in 1929, the company works with
more than 200 clients in both the public and private sector, and has responded
to more than 300 mass-fatality incidents in its 75 year history.
For more information, call Jerry Hendin at 425-442-5565 or visit the
Kenyon website at http://www.kenyoninternational.com .
SOURCE Kenyon International Emergency Services
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Related links:
http://www.kenyoninternational.com
CONTACT:
Jerry Hendin of Kenyon International
Emergency Services, +1-425-442-5565
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