As Hurricane Dorian hits the USA – Healix Travel Oracle offers emergency alerts for businesses and their staff

As Hurricane Dorian takes hold across the US, health and security expert, Healix International reminds businesses to take advantage of the resources available to ensure the safety of employees and assets in impacted areas. The Healix Travel Oracle app offers timely and efficient hurricane warnings, providing staff with instant access to critical insight and support through this season’s tropical events.

Hurricanes can cause significant residual damage lasting weeks, months or, in some cases, even years. Immediately after a storms passage, widespread flooding can continue to occur, posing a risk to life and hampering recovery efforts. Hurricane Florence in 2018 is an apt example of how destructive the residual effects of a hurricane can be; Florence killed a total of 40 people in North Carolina, 25 of who were indirectly killed by subsequent impacts of the storm following its passage. This underscores the need to ensure up-to-date evacuation plans are in place prior to a storm, and that organisations have the capability to enact these plans. In general, businesses should ensure they can scale down staff and establish continuity plans for the hurricane season to allow for the continuation of operations during this period.

Employers should consider whether office sites need additional protection, such as security to protect assets or employees or steps to secure and store high value assets. Healix International is available with expert advice to ensure organisations have bespoke evacuation plans that fit perfectly to their needs and which consider the organisation’s risk tolerance and shape the evacuation escalation process accordingly.

The Travel Oracle App can be used by anyone and ensures employees are kept up to date with vital information on breaking news and incidents across the world. These alerts are written by expert analysts and brief travellers on real-time developments, providing an assessment on the situation and advice on how to mitigate risk of exposure, making it a vital tool for employers with workers likely to be impacted by the Atlantic Hurricane season.

Georgina Wright, Global Threat Analyst – Americas at Healix International said: “Throughout the 2018 hurricane season, our security experts published a total of 22 alerts on tropical storms, cyclones and hurricanes. Of the 15 named systems that developed across the season, eight became hurricanes, and two were considered major hurricanes. Our alerts are published in advance of a hurricane making landfall, allowing time for evacuations or offering expert advice on how best to stand fast during the storms passage. In the event of stand fast incidents, we advise all employers to ensure staff keep a ‘grab bag’ in case of emergencies, with supplies of food and water and any necessary medicines. Employees should know their company’s emergency procedures and all emergency numbers to reduce the risks in hurricane season.”