Air Partner’s Emergency Planning Division has issued a critical reminder on the importance of advance preparation following Hawaii’s recent volcano eruption, flood warnings following the remnants of Hurricane Lane, and potential tropical storms.
The company is urging companies that may be at risk and considering an employee evacuation to be mindful that an evacuation decision should be considered around 72 hours or more prior to a storm’s arrival. There is a limited window of opportunity after this time frame. Once winds reach more than 30mph, evacuation may no longer be possible due to aircraft landing limitations.
Air Partner has also noted that the availability of aircraft is limited during natural disasters due to high demand, so the company encourages groups to plan and make critical decisions early. Charter pricing increases as availability becomes more limited, so as a storm gets closer, aircraft may no longer be available or able to operate to the evacuation airports.
The division also noted that it is critical to ensure that all employees have the necessary documentation to enter a foreign country before a storm approaches, such as passports and visas. Standard immigration rules apply even during a crisis, so companies should take proactive measures to ensure all documentation is in place as hurricane season heats up.
David McCown, president of Air Partner US, said, “Last year during Hurricane Irma, we successfully evacuated more than 200 people from the Caribbean, and with the increasing threat of these events in the USA, our experienced Emergency Planning Division has ramped up, and is ready to help, manage and execute air support and evacuations.
“Whether it’s hurricanes, typhoons, wildfires, earthquakes, or other natural disasters, Air Partner provides specific air evacuation planning for any type of industry or organization, offering peace of mind in times of crisis.”
An integral part of Air Partner’s Emergency Planning Division is the evacuation program, which offers pre-planning and rapid response evacuation services to companies, government organizations, families and individuals.
