First it was Hurricane Sandy, a devastating storm that did an almost unimaginable amount of damage in New Jersey and New York. Next came Winter Storm Athena, which delivered more than half a foot of snow in some parts of Manhattan, and up to ten inches of snow in Connecticut. As your Boston shipping store, we wanted to share information about what these weather events might mean to you, particularly if you need to ship items into storm affected regions. Here’s what you need to know:
Expect Delays
FedEx, UPS, the US Post Office and other parcel and freight carriers are advising all customers to expect unavoidable service delays of unspecified duration while clean up efforts continue. The conditions on the ground are pretty bad. Streets are blocked, by debris and by downed power lines, which are very dangerous. Homes and businesses may not be where they once were, due to high winds, flooding, and fire. Many gas stations have no fuel to sell, although delivery companies are doing their best to work around that logistical hurdle. FedEx has rented a fleet of fuel tankers to keep their fleet supplied through the crisis. All of these factors combine to slow delivery significantly.
Call Ahead
The smartest thing you can do if you need to ship packages into an area affected by Hurricane Sandy is call your recipient and ask how conditions are on the ground where they are. The information they share may impact your shipping decisions. You may wish to delay your shipment until conditions improve or arrange for delivery to an alternate location.
Some Packages Require Special Handling
It’s wonderful that so many people want to send aid and assistance to those impacted by Hurricane Sandy. However, items like generators, batteries, hand sanitizer, matches, lighters, and propane present serious shipping hazards. To keep things safe, they require special handling, packaging and paperwork. As your Boston shipping service, we can help you package and send storm relief supplies into New York, New Jersey, and other affected regions. Please remember that these shipments may be significantly delayed.
We will update this information as new data becomes available. Please don’t hesitate to call with any questions!