My name is Lt. Colonel Brad Bailey and I am the Chief Secretary for The Salvation Army in Chile, Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador.

I live and am presently in Santiago, Chile and experienced the 8.8 Earthquake first hand.

Just wanted CNN to know that following a devastating 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Chile during the early hours of Saturday morning (27 February) Salvation Army emergency services were immediately mobilised to provide support and comfort. The immediate response is to provide food, water, first aid kits, emergency packets, blankets, candles and other urgently required supplies. A recently arrived mobile canteen (a donation from the USA Southern Territory - Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia) is one of the key relief vehicles .

The earthquake epicentre was approximately 90 miles (150 kilometres) north west of the city of Concepción in Southern Chile. This is approximately 350 miles (600 kilometres) from the capital of Santiago, 'nevertheless, the quake was of a 8.13 magnitude in the Santiago metropolitan region'. People have flocked to the streets 'as numerous aftershocks continue to pummel' the country, severely affecting older buildings in the more historical areas of the larger cities.

Water, gas and electricity has been cut off in affected areas and will stay disconnected until relevant emergency crews can assess the damage and prioritise immediate needs.

In these early hours after the quake it has been extremely difficult to communicate around the country as most phone lines (mobile and land) have been disrupted.

In addition, The Salvation Army will be dispatching two Emergency Service Teams to the Concepción area which is the most devasted and one larger team is servicing the Santiago Metropolitan area.

I'm including a few pictures that have been taken during our first trip out to asses the damage early this morning.

If you wish to contact me, I'm available on Skype as Brad_Bailey from Chicago (Original Address in USA, but presently living and working in Santiago, Chile)

E-mail fbradford.bailey@gmail.com or

Brad_Bailey@SAW.salvationarmy.org

Lt Colonel Brad Bailey

Chief Secretary

The Salvation Army in Chile

Cell Phone:  56-2-96197632