Red Cross is sending provisions for a disaster relief base camp housing 80 people for three months in Florida Keys. With only 48 hours to send off, DSV was ready to help in the urgent situation.

When a disaster like Hurricane Irma strikes, the Red Cross needs to be able to move fast when help is needed. So when a call came in on Friday night to send supplies to set up a disaster relief base camp housing 80 people in Florida Keys, DSV played a part in sending off the supplies within 48 hours.

The packing list of supplies for a base camp includes everything from equipment to make clean drinking water to tents, toilets and washing machines. To be able to send off such a diverse amount of items within 48 hours a good warehouse is needed, and that is why a part of a DSV warehouse in Øm, Denmark houses Danish Red Cross equipment for emergencies.

Disaster Response and Preparedness Manager from Danish Red Cross, Jesper Ranch, elaborates on the importance of well-executed planning: “We have to run a tight ship and when we move out, time is of the essence. We schedule everything around when we can get a plane to the affected area.”

Providing safe and efficient transport and logistics

As a human aid partner to Red Cross, DSV also needs to be able to work fast and provide the transportation needed. This time around, DSV took care of the transport all the way from the warehouse to the airport in Miami, from where the help will be transported to Florida Keys.

Head of Group CSR at DSV, Thomas Susé comments: “We’re proud to be able to contribute to the well-oiled machine that is Red Cross. They know disaster relief, and we at DSV know safe and efficient transport and logistics, so we’re a good match in ensuring the help reaches the victims as fast as possible.”

Hurricane Irma is affecting the lives of more than 1 million people, and that requires large amount of disaster relief. To provide the best help possible, the Red Cross has many delegates and several thousand volunteers present in the affected areas.

“Right now, the volunteers and delegates are sleeping in open air or in local shelters,” says Jesper Ranch when explaining the necessity of a disaster relief base camp:

“Many of the people who were evacuated before the hurricane, are not allowed to return to what’s left of their home. They will need the space in the shelter and somewhere to turn for help.”

Red Cross has sent 4 technicians and 1 logistician to Florida to set up camp, and that will take them approximately 2-3 days. The preliminary plan is for the delegates and volunteers to stay in the area around 3 months, but that all depends on how the situation develops in the aftermath of the hurricane.