October 11, 2021

Putting People First: Hurricane Ida Recovery

Culture
Work Life

From the beginning, EquipmentShare made a commitment to always put people first — whether that means customers or employees. It is a part of our culture to treat each person as individuals and not as numbers or obstacles. When bad things happen we don’t just write a check and call it a day - we jump in, get involved and work together to solve problems. That commitment didn’t waiver even when the news of a tropical storm that had the potential to rival Hurricane Katrina was making its way to the gulf. 

In late August 2021, Hurricane Ida, a category four hurricane that became the second-most damaging and intense storm to make landfall in Louisiana — second only to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 — struck the New Orleans area. Widespread flooding and damage affected thousands of businesses, communities and people, including our own EquipmentShare team members.

“Our top priority is people and serving those living in the impacted communities,” Nick Guthrie, vice president of operations, said. “We provide meals and water —whatever it takes to get the community relief from the storms.”

EquipmentShare teams in region seven, which covers Baton Rouge and New Orleans, came together to help those in need. Several members from Corporate in Columbia, Mo., also traveled to Louisiana to assist in some of the recovery efforts distributing essentials, food and equipment: 

  • The corporate office held an employee drive and collected hundreds of pounds of water, food and personal hygiene supplies and then packed it up in the Disaster Response Trucks to head south.
  • In partnership with area businesses and organizations including Geaux Chevrolet in Baton Rouge, BP (British Petroleum) and Catholic Charities in Livingston, our teams prepared and distributed more than 700 meals to survivors, first responders and workers in LaPlace, La. 
  • Our teams on the ground as well as volunteer employees from afar also worked to make sure equipment and recovery resources were allocated where they were needed most. For instance, our local leadership acted quickly and worked with our rental locations nearby to help a pediatric clinic obtain generators to get back up and running as soon as possible. Without power or air conditioning, the clinic was unable to keep vaccines at a safe temperature or conduct pediatric visits for small children. 

Whether it’s just another day at the jobsite or the day after a hurricane hits, we have our customers and communities in need covered. By thinking quickly, taking action and putting people first, we can make a real difference in the face of disaster and in the lives of others.

Thank you to our team members for being the very best of what EquipmentShare represents!




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