English
INTERNATIONAL SOS DEPLOYS ON-THE-GROUND ASSISTANCE TEAM TO VANUATU
Sydney
International SOS, the world's leading medical and travel security services company, has deployed an Incident Response Team to Vanuatu to assist clients on the ground in the wake of Cyclone Pam.
The team, comprising of medical, security and logistics specialists, has arrived today to assess the medical and security risks and evacuation options for expatriates and travellers in Vanuatu.
They will also assess the medical support requirements following confirmation of damage to the local medical infrastructure including a hospital in the nation’s capital.
A global client liaison team has been activated to proactively reach out to clients with expatriates and travelling staff known to be in Vanuatu and surrounding island nations including Fiji, the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.
Michael Gardner, Regional Managing Director, Australasia said: “Our teams have been working around the clock to provide information and support to clients concerned for the safety of their expatriate and travelling staff, which totals nearly 400 individuals from all over the world. Many of these people are in Vanuatu on humanitarian assignments; so in providing assistance we need to consider not only each person’s immediate health and welfare, but the impact of the cyclone’s devastation on their work. There are likely to be shortages of safe drinking water and food, and the risk of diseases including diarrhoea, measles, malaria and dengue fever is heightened. Clients are advised to defer all travel to Vanuatu, and non-essential staff should consider leaving when possible.”
Security Director, Rodger Cook, is part of the Incident Response Team on-the-ground and has reported, “Officials have imposed a curfew in the capital Port Vila since Saturday. Concern is around the outlying areas and communities that face significant delays in receiving assistance due to the damage cause by the cyclone.”
International SOS has also established a Crisis Management Team based out of the Sydney Assistance Centre to coordinate our response and medical and security air evacuation capabilities from Vanuatu, should there be a requirement. In addition to providing emergency response, International SOS is closely monitoring the trajectory of the cyclones in the region and their potential impact on other Pacific Island nations vulnerable to severe weather events.
For more information clients can contact any International SOS Assistance Centre: https://www.internationalsos.com/locations
~~Ends~~
About the International SOS Group of Companies
The International SOS Group of Companies is in the business of saving lives, protecting your global workforce from health and security threats. Wherever you are, we deliver customised health, security risk management and wellbeing solutions to fuel your growth and productivity. In the event of extreme weather, an epidemic or a security incident, we provide an immediate response providing peace of mind. Our innovative technology and medical and security expertise focus on prevention, offering real-time, actionable insights and on-the-ground quality delivery. We help protect your people, your organisation's reputation, as well as support your compliance reporting needs. By partnering with us, organisations can fulfil their Duty of Care responsibilities, while empowering business resilience, continuity and sustainability.
Founded in 1985, the International SOS Group, headquartered in London & Singapore, is trusted by 12,000 organisations, including the majority of the Fortune 500, as well as mid-size enterprises, governments, educational institutions and NGOs. 12,000 multicultural medical, security and logistics experts stand with you to provide support & assistance from over 1,000 locations in 90 countries, 24/7, 365 days.
To protect your workforce, we are at your fingertips: www.internationalsos.com
