An estimated 35,000 bottles of drinking water delivered to Freeport on Grand Bahama Island

News Release

Seminole Tribe of Florida

Five days into a massive airlift of bottled drinking water, the Seminole Tribe of Florida estimates it has delivered approximately 35,000 bottles of drinking water for victims of Hurricane Dorian.

Since Friday, Sept. 6, the Tribe’s Aviation Department has made as many as three roundtrip flights a day with each of two helicopters and a single-engine Pilatus PC-12/45 airplane. The delivery schedule is continuing today, Tuesday, September 10.

Deliveries have been made in cooperation with the Grand Bahama Port Authority, which operates the Grand Bahama International Airport at Freeport. The Grand Bahama Port Authority is the municipal authority that governs Freeport and is one of the entities working to help hurricane victims there.

“The Seminole Tribe has a long and important history with the people of The Bahamas, and we are committed to helping them in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian,” said Seminole Tribe of Florida Chairman Marcellus Osceola Jr.

The airplane and helicopters are departing from Sheltair Aviation Services at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport. There they are fueled for roundtrip flights, so as not to impact fuel supplies on Grand Bahama Island.

Cases of bottled water transported by the Seminole Tribe are being collected by Banyan Air Service at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, then trucked using Seminole Gaming vehicles to Sheltair Aviation. The Banyan Air Service collection point is at Hangar 9 at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport. Donations of cases of bottled water and other relief supplies can be delivered to Hangar 9 at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, 6000 N.W. 21st Ave., Fort Lauderdale. The telephone number for more information about donating to the relief effort is 954-492-4322.

About the Seminole Tribe of Florida

Known as the “Unconquered” Seminole Tribe of Florida, because the Tribe never signed a peace treaty with the U.S. Government, the Seminoles are one of the most admired and successful Indian Tribes in North America.

The Tribe’s seven casinos, including the Seminole Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos in Tampa and Hollywood, Fla., are among the most financially profitable casinos in the world. The Tribe also owns Hard Rock International, with venues in 74 countries and 248 locations that include owned/licensed or managed Hotels, Casinos, Rock Shops and Cafes. More than 4,200 members of the Seminole Tribe live on and off reservations in many parts of Florida. Today’s Seminoles are often entrepreneurs and college graduates, including many who work in tribal economic enterprises or in tribal government.