As Tropical Storm Barry nears the Gulf Coast, it threatens residents with high winds, severe flooding and power outages. It also threatens to compromise access to healthcare while constricting the very supply lines needed to restore services.
Anticipating this possibility, Direct Relief and FedEx are staging emergency medical aid at the FedEx distribution facility in Houston for deployment as needed to storm-affected areas.
The supplies, which departed Direct Relief’s California warehouse Friday afternoon, include medicines and medical supplies to treat 100 patients with both acute and chronic-health conditions for up to five days. The supply cache also includes ten Emergency Medical Backpacks, which are used by first responders to address disaster-related health needs in the field.
FedEx is donating shipping and logistics support as part of the company’s FedEx Cares “Delivering for Good” initiative. FedEx uses its expertise in shipping and logistics to connect organizations, communities and individuals with the resources they need through charitable shipping and cash donations.
“We take great pride in using our global network to deliver critical supplies where they’re needed most,” said Raj Subramaniam, President and COO of FedEx Corporation. “FedEx will continue to work with Direct Relief and we stand ready to provide support to those areas hardest hit by natural disasters.”
FedEx has supported Direct Relief’s humanitarian work since 2003, bolstering the effective delivery of medicines and supplies around the world. The long-standing relationship between the two organizations combines Direct Relief’s proficiency in acquiring, storing, and shipping medical aid with the considerable supply-chain expertise of FedEx.
“Direct Relief is deeply grateful that FedEx has employed its considerable expertise and shipping capabilities to provide essential humanitarian aid to communities threatened by Tropical Storm Barry,” said Thomas Tighe, President and CEO of Direct Relief. “Well-planned, well-executed shipments make all the difference in situations like these.”
The supplies staged in Houston will serve to back-fill Hurricane Prep Packs – specially designed modules with over 200 medications and supplies commonly requested during severe storms – that Direct Relief pre-positioned at the start of Hurricane Season with Gulf Coast health facilities.
