UPS and FedEx step up preparations in disaster relief work

A year and a day after the Haiti earthquake disaster, UPS and FedEx are continuing efforts to assist with global humanitarian relief efforts. In particular this week, the two companies stressed the importance of planning and preparation in making logistics resources easily accessible even before disasters strike.

UPS said on Tuesday that it is now working with the American Red Cross to set up new Logistics Emergency Teams to help co-ordinate global humanitarian relief efforts, using its US network capabilities.

FedEx, which is continuing its support as secondary disasters like cholera hit the vulnerable Haiti, has funded a new Haiti Aid Map, which aims  to “dramatically” increase transparency regarding the work going on, while improving partnerships and coordination among those working in the affected area.

UPS

UPS said this week that it will create teams at Red Cross chapters in Atlanta, Houston, New Orleans and San Francisco to work on logistics and transportation systems in the event of large-scale emergencies.

UPS said assigned Logistics Emergency Team coordinators working with each Red Cross chapter to provide skilled volunteers, transport of supplies to affected areas and allocate space for storage.

Myron Gray, UPS senior vice president of U.S. operations, said the new Logistics Emergency Teams (LETs) initiative would take advantage of the capacity and resources of the UPS network in the US to support the Red Cross in providing more effective relief for devastated communities.

Gray said: “The LETs program with the American Red Cross in the US is another component in UPS’s continued commitment to leveraging its people, logistics expertise and global network to provide urgent humanitarian relief all around the world.”

UPS, which has also supported relief efforts following disasters including Hurricane Katrina and the Asian tsunami of 2004, is a member of the American Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program.

“Research shows that when the proper humanitarian relief processes and systems are in place ahead of a devastating event, lives are saved,” said Michael Brown, vice president at the American Red Cross.

FedEx

Meanwhile, another Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program member, FedEx, said yesterday that it is continuing to work to support global relief efforts in Haiti, following the earthquake a year ago yesterday, which killed more than 230,000, while making a million people homeless.

In recent months, the company has been providing assistance following a cholera outbreak in the Caribbean island.

To date, FedEx said it has provided more than $2m in support and funds for the relief efforts in Haiti, shipping out 800,000 pounds of supplies and equipment.

Globally, the company sets aside space for more than four million pounds of charitable shipping each year.

FedEx has funded a new Haiti Aid Map initiative, which provides a website highlighting detailed project-level information on the work being done by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Haiti. The Aid Map was put together by NGO umbrella group Interaction, with information updated quarterly.

The company said yesterday that a key to quick response is having long-term relationships with relief organizations.

“Pre-existing relationships help not only in ensuring that relief will come quickly once supplies are on the ground; they also help expedite getting the goods in the air as organizations know the right people to call and understand each other’s needs and capabilities,” said FedEx.