SDSU CIO Featured in IMAX Film
Rich Pickett is one of several emergency responders portrayed in
San Diego State University’s chief information officer Rich Pickett is portrayed in “Rescue” for his efforts in providing humanitarian aid to disaster-stricken Haiti in 2010.
The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center premiered the film Jan. 6, which highlights stories of those who respond to crisis situations and provide humanitarian aid to those in need.
From CIO to humanitarian
One of those stories is that of Rich Pickett, university CIO and a licensed pilot for 32 years. In 2010, Pickett spent 10 days flying a stripped-down private plane to and from Haiti to assist in response efforts following the country’s devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake.
The level of destruction was so great that thousands of individuals and organizations immediately began pouring in support, both financial and volunteered time, to assist the survivors stricken by a lack of viable water and food, as well as basic human necessities.
The January 2010 earthquake happened during a California budget shortfall that forced the CSU system to furlough employees for two days a month. Pickett used that time, plus vacation days, to fly aid and equipment to Haiti — often flying 19 hour days. He blogged about his experience on the SDSU website.
“I could not think of a better use of state furlough time,” Pickett said.
Thousands of miles, 70 flight hours and tons of supplies
Pickett flew nearly 30 flights over 10 days, and in that time, he carried between 30 and 40 people and nearly 15 tons of supplies, including diapers, medical supplies, food and water, to the beleaguered people of Port-au-Prince, Jacmel and other areas.
Covering more than 18,000 miles by air, going back and forth from Haiti to Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., he met hundreds of those affected, as well as other humanitarians. It was a moving experience that kept him coming back again and again with a group of like-minded pilots.
Just part of the puzzle
Pickett is quick to point out that he is just one of many who gave deeply of themselves to aid those affected by the earthquake.
In a February 2010 blog post, Pickett wrote, “Our time in Haiti, while intense, was just a small snippet of what is being provided by thousands of individuals and organizations helping that country. Everyone we met had a common goal and that is perhaps why we became friends so quickly and continue to communicate.”
About the film
"Rescue" plunges audiences into the hard, but inspiring work of saving lives in the face of a natural disaster.
Behind the scenes, the film follows a Canadian naval commander, two pilots and a volunteer rescue technician as they train for action. When an earthquake strikes Haiti, creating one of the biggest humanitarian disasters of the century, the audience is swept along, joining with the massive effort that brings military and civilian responders and hardware from around the world.
"Rescue" is a journey of real-world disaster and emergency response captured in 3-D with unprecedented scale and impact for the giant screen. For more information about the film and to purchase tickets, visit the Ruben H. Fleet Science Center website at www.rhfleet.org.
