Xylem Helps Communities Survive Hurricane Matthew
In anticipation of Hurricane Matthew, Xylem’s local branches in North Charleston, SC and Jacksonville, FL worked around the clock to provide rapid response dewatering capabilities to keep local infrastructure and community facilities functional during and after Matthew.
In anticipation of the need to remove floodwaters from impacted communities and businesses at a moment’s notice, Xylem teams began preparations early, strategically positioning over 400 Godwin high-performance dewatering pumps and accessories from Norfolk, VA to Miami, FL. As part of the ramp up before the storm hit, pumps were mobilized from as far away as California and New York.
After the storm made landfall in the southeastern U.S., Xylem’s local teams continued to work hand-in-hand with customers to aid in community recovery by moving pumps and equipment quickly into place, once conditions became safe.
One example of Xylem’s 24/7 emergency response support was in a town on Georgia’s barrier islands. Town authorities worked with Xylem on a contingency plan ahead of the storm, mobilizing multiple Godwin pumps to support their infrastructure in anticipation of flooding. After the storm hit, the town needed additional accessories. And with the access road to the island now backed up with road blocks and traffic congestion, the mayor personally contacted Xylem employee Daniel Collier with the urgent need. Daniel was able to get to the Jacksonville branch, collect the necessary items that the town needed, and deliver them to the customer – via National Guard helicopter – saving many hours of critical time.
“Our customers know we’re always on and close by,” says Mike Delzingaro, VP of Sales and Branch Operations for Xylem’s pump rental business. “By putting contingency plans in place we can rapidly mobilize pumps where they need to be to support even the worst emergency situation. Our customers know Xylem is a partner they can count on and that we do what it takes to get the job done, especially during major storm events like this one.”
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