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Hurricane Irma: McKesson Prepares to Support Healthcare Providers, Pharmacies and First Responders
[September 08, 2017]

Hurricane Irma: McKesson Prepares to Support Healthcare Providers, Pharmacies and First Responders


McKesson Corporation, a leading distributor of medications and medical surgical supplies, is preparing to meet customer and first responder needs before, during and after Hurricane Irma.

McKesson, which delivers more than one-third of medications in the U.S., is deeply experienced in disaster preparedness and recovery efforts. The company is uniquely qualified to rapidly meet the needs of healthcare organizations and first-responders during natural disasters because of its relationships with hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, nursing homes, doctors and more. McKesson most recently demonstrated this capability during Hurricane Harvey, as well as historic storms such as Hurricane Sandy and Hurricane Katrina.

Here are some of the steps McKesson is taking to support its customers, first responders and other stakeholders in the face of Hurricane Irma.

  • Expanding support for customers and first responders in advance of the storm

McKesson representatives have been proactively contacting customers and first responders in the storm path to discuss near-term product needs and encouraging the ordering of additional inventory as appropriate in anticipation of unpredictable delivery schedules and road closures during and following the storm. McKesson has also been advising customers to order additional supplies of necessities like water, batteries and first aid items.

  • Preparing McKesson facilities and operations for adverse conditions

McKesson has significant warehouse and distribution operations in the expected areas of impact, including Florida (Lakeland, Orlando and Jacksonville), Atlanta, GA, Rock Hill, SC, and more. At all locations, McKesson has confirmed back-up power generators are functioning and properly fueled for expected power outages. Five hundred gallons of diesel and unleaded gasoline are also on reserve to support power needs.

The company has placed employees from other U.S. facilities on call to travel and support relief efforts and the expected increase customer needs following the storm. McKesson has worked with local law enforcement to prepare documentation for McKesson delivery drivers that will help facilitate access to closed-off areas to meet customers and first responders.

  • Increased inventory of medication and supplies in anticipation of emergency needs



Based on McKesson's experience in supporting natural disaster preparedness and recovery efforts, the company has positioned extra inventory of medications and supplies that are frequently needed following a storm event at facilities in the affected area and in neighboring facilities for expedited transfer. Examples include insulin for diabetics, dialysis supplies, vaccines for first-responders, antibiotics for viral outbreaks (contagious ailments like colds and flus spread rapidly in emergency shelters) and anti-venom for snakebites as snakes are prevalent following flooding conditions. McKesson is also storing additional inventory of basic supplies, including water, blankets, diapers, baby food, and formula. McKesson currently has nearly 3,500 cases of water in stock in the storm path.

McKesson Corporation and the McKesson Foundation have made donations of more than $350,000 to date for Hurricane Harvey. To learn more about McKesson's support for Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, please click here.


About McKesson Corporation

McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 5th on the FORTUNE 500, is a global leader in healthcare supply chain management solutions, retail pharmacy, community oncology and specialty care, and healthcare information technology. McKesson partners with pharmaceutical manufacturers, providers, pharmacies, governments and other organizations in healthcare to help provide the right medicines, medical products and healthcare services to the right patients at the right time, safely and cost-effectively. United by our ICARE shared principles, our employees work every day to innovate and deliver opportunities that make our customers and partners more successful - all for the better health of patients. McKesson has been named the "Most Admired Company" in the healthcare wholesaler category by FORTUNE, a "Best Place to Work" by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, and a top military-friendly company by Military Friendly. For more information, visit www.mckesson.com.

About The McKesson Foundation

Founded in 1943, the McKesson Foundation is dedicated to supporting our employees' community involvement efforts and cancer care. To maximize our impact, the Foundation invests in organizations that provide cancer support programs, providing care packages for cancer patients through McKesson Foundation's Giving Comfort program, and growing and diversifying the international bone marrow registry through the McKesson Marrow Drive. Each year, the McKesson Foundation contributes more than $4.5 million to nonprofit organizations working to improve the health of our communities. Over the past three years, the Foundation has matched more than $3.4 million in employee donations to charitable organizations. For more information, please contact us at [email protected].


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