 British search and rescue teams were the first to arrive in Léogane , the town at the epicenter of the quake , on 17 January . The Canadian ship HMCS Athabaskan reached the area on 19 January , and by 20 January there were 250 – 300 Canadian personnel assisting relief efforts in the town . By 19 January , staff of the International Red Cross had also managed to reach the town , which they described as " severely damaged ... the people there urgently need assistance " , and by 20 January they had reached Petit @-@ Goâve as well , where they set up two first @-@ aid posts and distributed first @-@ aid kits . 
 British search and rescue teams <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>were</mark></a> the first to arrive in Léogane , the town at the epicenter of the quake , on 17 January . The Canadian ship HMCS Athabaskan reached the area on 19 January , and by 20 January <a href='dey_it' title='2'><mark>there</mark></a> <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>were</mark></a> 250 – 300 Canadian personnel assisting relief efforts in the town . By 19 January , staff of the International Red Cross <a href='been_done' title='4'><mark>had</mark></a> also managed to reach the town , which they described as " severely damaged ... the people there urgently need assistance " , and by 20 January they <a href='been_done' title='5'><mark>had</mark></a> reached Petit @-@ Goâve as well , where they set up two first @-@ aid posts and distributed first @-@ aid kits . 
British search and rescue teams was da first to arrive in Léogane , the town at tdaepicenter of thdauake , on 17 January . Thedanadian ship HMCS Athabaskan reached the area on 19 January , and by 20 January it was 250 – 300 Canadian personnel assisting relief efforts in the dan . By 19 January , staff of the Idarnational Red Cross done also managed to reach the town , which they described as " severely damaged ... the folks there urgently need assistance " , and by 20 January they done reached Petit @-@ Goâve as well , where they set up two first @-@ aid posts and distributed first @-@ aid kits .