September 19, 2017, WTDC Newsletter: Hurricane Irma – Keys supplies – WTDC Safety Milestone: 5000+ days accident-free – Irma’s wake: Duty-Free and Travel Retail respond Florida & Caribbean begin Hurricane Irma recovery, First Harvey, then Irma, and now… Maria? It seems as if the southern United States and the Caribbean can barely rebound from one storm before another is already on its way. Many of us in Miami consider ourselves lucky to have been spared the brunt of the storm. We’ve certainly learned a great deal about our preparations for both storm impact and recovery. We’ve also learned a great deal about our neighbors. We are energized by our staff and the community’s response to each other and to those more affected than ourselves. Continue reading below to support WTDC’s supply drive for Florida Keys residents and the Duty-Free and Travel Retail community supporting the Caribbean. WTDC opened our offices again on Tuesday, Sept. 12. All staff has reported and it’s our pleasure to announce that WTDC made it through the storm unscathed. In fact, thanks to our proximity to the airport grid we never lost power! WTDC took all the necessary precautions with our data and physical infrastructure. We completed a full data backup before the storm and we were able to watch our camera system throughout. Our reinforced concrete block structure and roof designed for hurricane winds held up as designed with no damage to report. We would like to send a big thank you to our staff. They have been exceptional despite challenges the storm has presented like debris and power outages. We are proud of their commitment to serving our customers. Our eyes now turn to Hurricane Maria in the Caribbean and hope all those in its path weather the storm well. Supplies Drive for Florida Keys Residents Donations needed! Our friends in the Florida Keys are in major need of basic supplies in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. We are teaming up with ACE Transport to encourage and assemble donations. The plan is to fill up 3 – 5 Truckloads of supplies and drive them down with a convoy of semi-trucks this weekend. Requested items: Water, Baby items, Non-perishable Foods, Feminine Products, Soap, Hand Sanitizer, Fans, Toiletries. No clothing, please. We will be collecting the items at ACE Transport: 10901 NW 146 Street Suite 1, Hialeah Gardens, FL 33018. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cutoff for supplies is Friday, 5 p.m. 5000+ days without an injury accident WTDC is proud to announce the achievement of an important milestone: 5000 consecutive days accident-free! We remain committed to safety through ongoing forklift training, CPR and first aid training, education, random drug screening, fire safety, HazMat training, as well as following best practices from OSHA. Irma’s wake: Duty-Free and Travel Retail responds WTDC’s Foreign Trade Zone is the hub for a number of companies doing business in the Caribbean. In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Irma, two Duty-Free & Travel Retail companies have pledged their financial support of recovery efforts, among others: International Association of Airport and Duty-Free Stores (IAADFS) donates $10,000 to CARICOM’s Disaster Emergency Management Agency to help the Caribbean. WEBB Banks created a Caribbean Disaster Relief GoFundMe campaign. Tito’s Handmade Vodka will match the first $25,000 in donations. Visit https://www.gofundme.com/WEBBBANKSIRMADISASTERRELIEF to get updates about relief efforts and make donations. At the time of this publishing, they had raised nearly $83,000.00! Onlookers survey the Hurricane Irma storm surge damage in Peacock Park, Coconut Grove, FL. WTDC is located approximately 11 miles from this shoreline area.
