FedEx Express Gears Up for Hurricane Season with it's Hurricane Contingency Team
NOAA predicts seventeen potential storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic this season
MIAMI, June 5, 2007--FedEx Express, the world’s largest express transportation company and a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX), is ready to activate the FedEx LAC Hurricane Contingency Team (HCT), a specialized arm of its crisis contingency committee, in response to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) recent announcement of 17 potential storms and hurricanes forecasted this season in the Atlantic. Of those, it is predicted that seven to 10 could be hurricanes, and another three to five could be major hurricanes of Category 3 strength or higher. The NOAA is also predicting a 75 percent chance that the Atlantic Hurricane Season will be above normal this year - showing the ongoing active hurricane era remains strong.
The FedEx LAC Hurricane Contingency Team, headed by Patti Murray, Managing Director of Planning and Engineering for the division, is strategically positioned throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, in countries and regions that may potentially be affected by tropical storms and hurricanes including Mexico, the Caribbean islands and South Florida.
While the HCT’s core is located in FedEx Express Latin America & Caribbean Division headquarters in Miami, Florida, the team works in close collaboration with the Global Operations Control Center and the FedEx Weather Center in Memphis, Tennessee, as well as with in-country team members. Depending on where the hurricane or tropical storm is expected to hit, local teams are activated accordingly. FedEx Express also counts on its own meteorologist, a key member of the HCT.
The FedEx Miami Gateway Hub at the Miami International Airport serves as the strategic center for HCT operations during a crisis. From supplies stored at the warehouse, to aircraft and volunteer employees, the HCT is fully equipped and ready to respond to a crisis.
Delivery of supplies, as quickly as possible, is a main priority for FedEx Express. Working together with charitable organizations such as the American Red Cross, AmericasRelief, Heart to Heart, and the United Way of America, the FedEx Hurricane Contingency Team coordinates and handles the delivery of additional supplies to the Miami Gateway, as well as providing the planes and pilots to fly supplies where needed.
Employee volunteers are a key component in responding to a crisis situation. From volunteer pilots flying the planes into affected areas to on-ground staff loading and delivering supplies to those in need, there is always an overwhelming response on the part of employees to help out in a time of need.
“By looking after our employees first, we enable them to look after others in their communities,” said Cliff Deeds, Managing Director of Customer Experience Management for FedEx Express, Latin America and Caribbean Division. He spoke at the AmericasRelief Team’s third annual Regional Crisis Relief and Logistic meeting in South Florida recently, underscoring the importance of encouraging and recognizing employees for giving back to their communities, as they are often the first to provide aid when disaster strikes.
In 2005, employee volunteers came to the aid of victims of Hurricane Wilma in Mexico. Along with the on-ground and in-air support provided by the employees, FedEx flew one of its DC10s with 62 tons of supplies collected by the Red Cross to the Cancun area after Hurricane Wilma. In Guatemala, FedEx also participated in a series of goodwill efforts to help those affected by Hurricane Stan, including the distribution of more than 11,000 lbs. worth of aid collected by Guatemala’s Embassy in Washington D.C., and a monetary donation to help rebuild schools in the country. FedEx also participated in similar hurricane relief efforts in the Cayman Islands.
About FedEx Express
FedEx Express Latin America & Caribbean Division services more than 50 countries and territories throughout Latin America and the Caribbean and employs more than 3,400 people committed to total customer satisfaction each business day. About FedEx Express
FedEx Express is the world's largest express transportation company, providing fast and reliable delivery to every U.S. address and to more than 220 countries and territories. FedEx Express uses a global air-and-ground network to speed delivery of time-sensitive shipments, by a definite time and date with a money-back guarantee.
About FedEx
FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $35 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 275,000 employees and contractors to remain "absolutely, positively" focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. For more information, visit fedex.com.
