With Tropical Storm Isaac rapidly approaching Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Florida, Direct Relief activated it’s Emergency Response Team today, which is monitoring the storm and readying emergency supplies. Direct Relief has been in communication with its staff on the ground in Haiti, who are prepared and have standing stock ready to deploy if needed. In advance of this hurricane season, Direct Relief pre-positioned hurricane preparedness packs at healthcare partners in the areas under threat from Isaac.

Direct Relief’s Hurricane Preparedness Program is the only initiative of its kind, whereby large quantities of medicines and supplies are pre-positioned at community health centers, clinics and hospitals in at-risk areas across in the U.S., and internationally to be used during emergencies to treat vulnerable populations.

Since 2007, Direct Relief has provided emergency medical materials to key healthcare institutions in areas susceptible to hurricanes. Pre-positioning the modules at clinics and hospitals eliminates delivery delays and equips medical professionals with the materials to treat injured patients on-site when a hurricane strikes.

The Hurricane Preparedness Program began in the U.S. Gulf States and has expanded each year to include nine states in the U.S. and seven countries in the Caribbean. The contents of these modules were originally designed as part of Direct Relief’s participation on the Texas Blue Ribbon Commission on Emergency Preparedness and Response following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The modules include medicines and supplies to treat a variety of conditions, from trauma injuries to chronic conditions. Experience and feedback from partners is used to continually improve the contents and packaging of the pack.

In addition to the pre-positioned modules, Direct Relief has readied additional medicines and supplies at it’s headquarters which are ready to be airlifted should healthcare partners request additional resources in response to Hurricane Isaac.