The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) has activated its Humanitarian Emergency Response Operator (HERO) Database to quickly organize the business aviation community in response to the extensive damage inflicted by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica. The Category 5 storm caused widespread destruction, knocking out power for over half a million residents and severing vital communication links across the island nation.
With only the Kingston Norman Manley International Airport partially operational for all flights, the NBAA advised that aircraft with longer range are best suited for initial relief efforts due to the travel distance and limited conditions on the ground. The aviation authority in Jamaica is emphasizing the critical need for tight coordination among all government and airport agencies to synchronize the relief operations, while other key aid groups are also mobilizing assistance from the business aviation sector.
