Airman Joelle JeanJaque, Homestead Air Reserve Base Civil Engineer Squadron, helps American Citizens processing through Customs locate transportation from Homestead Air Reserve Base to their prospective homes by making phone calls on her personal cell phone. (U.S. Air Force photo/Sernior Airman Lou Burton)

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Staff Sgt. Johann Gomez of the 48th Civil Engineer Squadron at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., helps assist American survivors of the Haiti earthquake into the base gymnasium Jan. 15, 2010. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lou Burton)

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Firemen at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., help passengers arriving from Haiti leave a C-130 Hercules Jan. 15, 2010. The ordeal culminated in swift action by HARB staff to treat injuries and transport those in need of medical care. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Ian Carrier)

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U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents were on hand at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., Jan. 15, 2010, to help process American citizens back to the United States from Haiti. Citizens were checked through customs at the base gym. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Robert D. Gibson)

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Media descended on Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., Jan. 15, 2010, after American citizens returned from Haiti aboard a C-130 Hercules. During a customs and border check, media documented the varied stories of survival. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Robert D. Gibson)

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Media descended on Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., Jan. 15, 2010, after American citizens returned from Haiti aboard a C-130 Hercules. During a customs and border check, media documented the varied stories of survival. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Robert D. Gibson)

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People of all ages have been affected by the devastation caused by the earthquake in Haiti. Men, women and children have been evacuated to Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., in order to process through customs. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Tech. Sgt. Robert D. Gibson)

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Homestead Air Reserve Base hub for Haitian quake relief

Published Jan. 18, 2010

HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, Fla. -- Relief efforts are in full swing at Homestead Air Reserve Base in response to the disaster in Haiti. The massive humanitarian effort -- Operation Unified Response -- is a true joint operation. Almost as soon as news of the disaster broke, components of the Air Force, Army, Marines, Navy and Coast Guard began staging troops, equipment and supplies to be flown to Port Au Prince airport. Along with the military personnel, were several search and rescue units flown into Homestead from around the country.