Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) -- The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson gave hope to Haitians on Friday that much-needed relief is on the way, arriving with helicopters, hospital beds and operating rooms to help in the aftermath of this week's earthquake.
Emergency crews raced against the clock to rescue those still trapped under rubble. Rescuers were trying keep survivors alive, fed and sheltered as well as stave off civil strife amid scarce supplies of food and water.
"The United States and countries around the globe are mobilizing every available element of our national capacity," said Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in Washington.
"Coalition army and naval forces, disaster response teams, portable hospitals, canine search-and-rescue teams, and relief and medical supplies are streaming in from multiple compassionate nations."
He said the the military is best able to provide security, search-and-rescue capabilities, potable water and medical facilities as he ticked off the list of resources coming from the U.S. military.
Other assets include the destroyer Higgins for search and rescue and support and Coast Guard cutters with helicopters. Mullen said the 82nd Airborne Division is arriving to help with security.
Small helicopter-carrying naval vessels will be arriving. Mullen said the Bataan will be accompanied by two other ships in her amphibious ready group, USS Fort McHenry and USS Carter Hall, and the Marines of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit.
And the hospital ship Comfort is expected to be off Haiti by the end of next week.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Friday that a "major humanitarian effort" that is under way.
"Although it is inevitably slower and more difficult than any of us would wish, we are mobilizing all resources as fast as we possibly can," Ban said, announcing an appeal for $550 million.
Ban painted a picture of devastation, pointing to "widespread damage to infrastructure in Port-au-Prince and other affected areas, with as many as 50 percent of buildings in the worst-hit areas damaged or destroyed. "
He said "a high proportion of the 3 million people in the capital area are without access to food, water, shelter and electricity" and that crews were working "to save as many lives as possible."
The relief effort has been challenged by the destruction and the need for more supplies, Ban said.
"Search and rescue remains a monumental effort. Heavy lifting equipment is still urgently needed," he said, adding that "logistics are extremely difficult. The airport is open, as you know, but capacity is limited. A lack of transport and fuel is also hampering efforts. Many roads remain blocked."
But he said "aid flights arrived through the night and will continue through the day" and the "distribution of food and medical supplies has begun in Port-au-Prince, supplemented increasingly by the aid beginning to arrive from the outside."
Ban listed the needs -- food, water, tents for shelter, medical supplies and medical personnel. He said the World Food Program "is feeding around 8,000 people several times a day" and food distribution centers in the capital are being established to offer ready-to-eat meals.
"Obviously, that is only a drop in the bucket in the face of the massive need, but the agency will be scaling up to feed approximately 1 million people within 15 days and 2 million people within a month."
He couldn't say yet how many people died in the disaster, but the United Nations said Friday that at least 37 of its personnel have died -- 36 with the U.N. mission and one with the World Food Program.
The number of unaccounted for people stands at 330. There are 12,000 people working for the U.N. system in Haiti.
As world agencies and countries marshaled relief resources, President Obama spoke for about a half-hour Friday with Haitian President Rene Preval, pledging the "full support of the American people," including long-term help.
Preval said that the American people's friendship has touched him. "From the bottom of my heart and on behalf of the Haitian people, thank you, thank you, thank you," he said.
Preval also expressed condolences for the loss of Americans in Haiti, a toll the State Department placed at six. And, he said, relief is "now flowing in to the people of Haiti" from the world over.
Also Friday, Russian President Dmitry A. Medvedev announced the deployment of a rapid-response search and rescue team, dog teams, psychologists and doctors, special search equipment, including a lighting tower and powerful floodlights that will allow rescue operations at night.
Rescue and recovery efforts have become top priorities across the globe, and countries with poor relations have set aside their differences to help Haiti.
Cuba is allowing the United States to use its airspace to fly medical evacuation flights. This agreement will allow Americans to fly earthquake victims directly from Haiti to the U.S. and reduce the flight time.
Despite relative calm, there were reports of sporadic looting and violence after Tuesday's 7.0-magnitude earthquake clobbered the capital, affecting millions of people and possibly killing tens of thousands
"If help doesn't come quickly, it probably will [get worse]," said Agnes Pierre-Louis, manager of a Port-au-Prince hotel. "We're not hearing anything from the government. We're not seeing any foreign aid yet."
Gen. Ken Keen, deputy commander of the U.S. Southern Command, said U.S. forces, working with U.N. troops, were aware of "the increasing concerns about security."
He said the priority is to crank up rescue and relief efforts to stave off restiveness.
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates echoed that remark, saying, "Other than some scavenging and minor looting, our understanding is the security situation is pretty good."
"The key is to get the food and the water in there as quickly as possible so that people don't, in their desperation, turn to violence or lead to the security situation deteriorating."
Gates said the U.N. force has "primary security responsibility" and Haitians will be pleased to see American troops providing relief.
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