Disaster Planning

Jun 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Beck Ireland, Staff Writer

Is your firm prepared for the next big wildfire, tornado, or hurricane?

On Aug. 30, 2005, Jimmy Haynes, owner of JH Haynes Electric, Gulfport, Miss., returned to his shop after weathering Hurricane Katrina from the second floor of his house only to discover that the office had been flooded. More than 5 feet of water had ruined or washed away all of the company's tools and equipment, 13 trucks from the backyard, the computer system and its software (plus all backup data), and most of the materials from an onsite warehouse. “We lost everything that was 4 feet and down,” Haynes says. “We were absolutely devastated.”

With guidance from FEMA and local officials, you can tailor your recovery plan and insurance coverage to disasters caused by natural hazards prevalent in your geographic area.

Working in the large commercial and industrial electrical contracting business in Gulfport for the past 41 years, Haynes has outlasted storms before, including Camille in 1969, Ivan in 2004, and several in between. To prepare for Hurricane Katrina, he and his staff took the usual precautions, covering most of the office equipment in plastic and putting system backups in a fireproof safe. “We were concerned about part of the roof blowing off, and the rains getting the computers,” Haynes says. “We never dreamed that the water would come from the ground up.”

Dealing with disaster

Not located on a floodplain — his company is seven miles from the coastline — Haynes had not invested in flood insurance. In addition, the fireproof safe proved not to be waterproof. Despite these obstacles, Haynes never considered closing up shop. “I jumped back in,” says Haynes, explaining that it's always been his philosophy that he and his employees (numbering 200 at the time) take care of their personal needs first, and then come back to work as soon as they can to get people back in service.

By the following Monday, Haynes had about 80 employees back working in the field. “Everybody stayed,” he says.

Within 11 days of the storm, the utility companies were able to re-energize facilities and homes that could take service, so it was Haynes' goal to make sure everybody that had a feasible building was able to be re-energized. “Being a service company, we were trying to get as many customers as we possibly could back online,” Haynes says. “We did our part to where the utility company could re-energize them and turn their lights on.”

During the first few days of recovery, the National Guard provided generators for the city — which Haynes Electric's employees installed — and meals ready to eat (MREs). A distributor on good terms with Haynes had filled its fuel tanks before the storm and offered fuel as well as bottled water. “We had vendors from Mobile and Pensacola and places like that bringing us cans of gasoline, ice, and food, like bologna and cheese,” Haynes says. “No stores were open. You couldn't go buy a loaf of bread. So we had those suppliers bring those kinds of goods in, and we ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at the office for about three weeks.”

However, the biggest boon to Haynes Electric's recovery was a $30,000 donation from the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) Cares Relief Fund, chaired by District 3 Vice President Frank Russell. NECA members from around the country contributed to the fund. “We couldn't even get into our bank accounts,” Haynes says. “It didn't matter that it was a small amount compared to what I lost. It was enough to get going again.”