CASE STUDY: Emergency Response in Haiti

Overview

In the midst of the ongoing political turmoil in Haiti during the spring of 2024, the security landscape of the Caribbean nation further deteriorated. Gangs launched a coordinated offensive, raiding a prison and releasing inmates, while simultaneously demanding the prime minister’s resignation. The surge in violence, primarily concentrated in Port-au-Prince and the surrounding areas, resulted in rampant gang activity claiming the lives of hundreds of Haitians. This escalation instilled widespread fear, prompting citizens to flee, and confining those who remained indoors, unable to venture out even for basic necessities like food and water.

As the violence unfolded, Global Guardian’s local team diligently provided situational updates and on-the-ground intelligence, while our 24/7 Operations Center team relayed frequent reports to clients with assets and personnel in the region.

LOCATION:  Haiti

SERVICE: 

• Emergency Response
• Secure Transportation

Mission A

PROBLEM:
A corporate client was concerned for the safety of two employees, both Haitian nationals, experiencing severe gang violence in the immediate vicinity of their homes and wanted to quickly move the individuals to a safe location.

RESPONSE: 
Immediately following a discovery call with the client to understand the location of the employees and their desired destination in Haiti, Global Guardian’s 24/7 Operations Center began coordinating with its local Haitian team to secure transportation assets in a matter of hours.

Global Guardian and the client determined that the employees would be transported to a secure location in Port-au-Prince away from significant gang activity before moving to a safer location on the island.

While the first leg of the journey was short, it was not without risk. The night before the transport, Global Guardian received intelligence from the local team that there was gang activity near the residence. In the early morning hours, the agents and driver on the ground conducted a reconnaissance mission, leveraging their existing knowledge of the area, and determined the best route — and alternate routes — to the destination. Back at the pick-up location, the agents secured the two employees and their belongings in the vehicle, and they safely navigated the dynamic ground situation to the first stop on their journey. As the mission unfolded, Global Guardian provided constant updates to the client until the employees were safe at their destination.

While the employees rested for a few days at the secure location, Global Guardian researched transportation options to a safer location on the island and reviewed all details with the key stakeholders. During this time, the on-the-ground team conducted daily wellness checks, visiting the employees morning and night, delivering food and water to ensure they had everything they needed.

Ultimately, the employees secured a rescue helicopter out of Port-au-Prince and arrived safely at their final destination..

MISSION B

PROBLEM:
A company needed to move physical assets in Haiti across the border and out of harm’s way to the Dominican Republic. Due to the nature of the violence in the area, the transport was a risky undertaking.

RESPONSE:
Upon receiving the call from the client with the relevant details, Global Guardian’s 24/7 Operations Center began coordinating the movement of the client’s assets, working with its on-the-ground team and resources. Global Guardian’s local, vetted security agents would escort the client’s truck — leveraging their knowledge of local routes and the evolving situation in Port-au-Prince — to safety in the Dominican Republic. With the mission plan laid out, all details were thoroughly communicated to the client.

On the morning of the mission, Global Guardian’s team drove to the client’s location in Port-au-Prince but were stopped short three blocks away by heavy gang fighting. The team backtracked to wait out the fighting before proceeding to meet the truck. However, when they arrived at the location — well ahead of the agreed upon meeting time — they found that the client’s truck driver had already left, unbeknownst to the client. Despite the fact that neither Global Guardian nor the client was able to make contact with the driver, our team stayed outcome-oriented and immediately began working the routes the driver could have taken to track down the truck.

Following the agreed-upon route to the border crossing site, our team stopped at the towns along the way to see if anyone spotted the truck. After no sighting and determining that the truck must have taken an alternate route, the team split up to cover more ground and drive the alternate routes to the Dominican Republic border.

Within a few hours, the on-the-ground team notified Global Guardian’s 24/7 Operations Center — who was providing constant updates to the client — that the truck was found safely at a border location over 100km from the original crossing site.

About Global Guardian

Global Guardian protects and delivers employees and families from political, environmental, and bad actor threats around the world.

Why Us?

• Outcome-Oriented: From travel emergencies to the most challenging crisis environments, client safety and security is our top priority. Our team will problem solve until a positive outcome is achieved.
• Operational Excellence: With a team comprised of highly experienced former military, special operations, and federal law enforcement personnel, our operational execution is unmatched.
• Hyper-Responsive: With 24/7/365 Global Security Operations Centers and local response teams in over 130 countries, Global Guardian moves in minutes and hours instead of days and weeks.
• Breadth of Global Services: We offer a full range of customizable global security and medical services over 98% of the world, including travel risk management, executive protection, medical assistance and evacuation, cyber security, and video surveillance.