Do whatever it takes. Wherever we work in the world, FedEx people treat us like we're their number one customer. — André Butler, Vice President for Resource Development, Heart to Heart International Fast, reliable access to vital necessities can make all the difference in the aftermath of a disaster. For ten years, global relief agency Heart to Heart International has worked with FedEx to develop the systems and relationships that make life-saving solutions possible. There is nothing routine about disasters. Following the Indian Ocean tsunami in December 2004, restoring drinkable water was a key concern. Heart to Heart secured 16 water purification systems, each weighing 1,600 pounds, from a manufacturer in South Carolina. FedEx Freight and FedEx Custom Critical transported the systems to staging areas in New York and California, where FedEx Express aircraft helped get them to Sri Lanka. When Southeast Asia suffered a devastating earthquake in Java in May 2006 — the area's third natural disaster in 18 months — Heart to Heart relied on FedEx to ensure that seven tons of vital supplies and medicines reached the afflicted communities. No one is resting though. To improve global preparedness, Heart to Heart and FedEx recently established Forward Response Centers in Dubai, the Philippines and Mexico. These centers will further improve the speed and reliability of disaster response — something that could one day mean all the difference to thousands of people.