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Printable Version H1N1 influenza Frequently Asked Questions
On April 26, 2009 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the H1N1 Influenza outbreak a Public Health Emergency. Here are some most frequently asked questions, you may have.
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- What procedures does FedEx have in place to manage an H1N1 flu pandemy?
- Although we do not share or provide copies of our plans due to the proprietary and competitive nature of the information in these plans, FedEx priorities are to provide service to our customers while ensuring the safety of our employees and security for our customers’ shipments. Our Emergency Management team has been working on this matter since the initial outbreak in the spring of 2009.
- Who leads the crisis team?
- The Emergency Management Team is composed of members of our Health & Safety, Security, Human Resources, Operations and Communications departments.
- Are you in contact with the World Health Organization?
- With respect to the current H1N1 flu, FedEx is monitoring the flu outbreak closely and our company safety experts have remained in contact with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). FedEx is following the recommendations of both health organizations to ensure that we maintain a safe work environment for our team members as well as for our customers.
- How will you react when an H1N1 flu peak occurs?
- It is the magnitude of the event that dictates the degree of implementation of our plans. Our Pandemic Plan includes operational business continuity plans for each operating company, safety, human resources, communications and post wave recovery plans.
- What are your priorities?
- Our priority is ensuring a safe work environment for all our team members and our customers.
- What have you already done to minimize the risk?
- All our staffs have been briefed about health and good hygiene practices which remain the best prevention. Information has been disseminated across all FedEx companies.
- Do you disinfect packages, planes or trucks going through your network?
- Our safety experts have conferred with the CDC on the need for surface disinfection of FedEx packages. We have been advised there is neither a general need nor a recommendation for any special cleaning concerning surface infection.
- Do you have masks available and, if so, of what category?
- FedEx has in stock face masks of 2 categories: FFP2 Masks and Surgical face Masks.
- How many masks have already been distributed to your employees?
- We have not yet distributed masks to our employees. We will follow World Health Organization and local authorities’ recommendations.
- Do you have any other safety equipment available for your staff?
- FedEx has purchased hydro-alcoholic sanitized hand gels that will be distributed to our employees as required. FedEx has also purchased sanitized disposable tissue to clean hands.
- What will happen to my shipment?
- FedEx will strive to maintain its services levels while ensuring employees, customers and vendors safety. As a leading global transportation company, FedEx routinely faces challenging situations in the course of doing business that requires us to implement contingency plans to sustain our operations and to minimize any impact to our customers. The Company has 36 years of experience in proactively addressing situations that can occur at any given time somewhere in the world, whether they be social upheaval or a natural event; we are adept at implementing contingency plans at a moment’s notice and we have the flexibility within our system to make the necessary adjustments to minimize the impact to our customers.
- How have you coped with previous natural catastrophes?
- FedEx was the first company to establish communications in the New Orleans area in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina; our communications system was also deployed by FEMA and other emergency relief teams who had no other means to communicate. As a result of the closure of the New Orleans airport, FedEx established hub operations to Lafayette within a matter of weeks; this process would normally take six months. This enabled us to not only move our customers’ shipments in to the area but also enabled FedEx to provide assistance in the rebuilding efforts. FedEx was operational in the New Orleans area and was able to deliver as soon as authorities allowed us into the area.