Disaster Kleenup International has responded in force to the emergency response challenges created by Hurricane Rita. Before Rita landed, DKI members located in Texas were preparing for Rita’s assault. Water removal and drying equipment were moved into mobile trailers, commercial structures were secured where DKI had pre-disaster plans in place, and contingency resource plans were put into action.
DKI catastrophe response teams from Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, Kansas, North Carolina, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Minnesota, Tennessee, Maryland, California, Florida, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, along with DKI Corporate staff, were already in the affected Gulf Coast area assisting with the restoration of the devastating damage caused by Hurricane Katrina, hitting only weeks ago. These teams, along with other DKI catastrophe teams across the nation, await word from DKI’s central command post in Chicago to be dispatched to the areas most affected by Rita.
All told, more than 20,000 pieces of portable equipment, including air movers, dehumidifers, generators, and portable extraction units are currently in place in the hurricane ravaged areas. And more is on the way as another group of DKI catastrophe response teams is waiting to see where they can best lend assistance before mobilizing their resources. It is expected that within a month over 40 DKI companies from around the country will be in the Gulf Coast area aiding their fellow members and the property owners affected by both storms.
“The response of DKI’s members to the immediate impact of Hurricane Rita and the recovery of Hurricane Katrina has been both overwhelming and typical,” said Dale Sailer, president of Disaster Kleenup International. “Our member contractors prepare and train all year to be able to respond quickly and efficiently to losses, regardless of size, and this is clearly one of the most devastating and costly hurricane seasons in a long time, perhaps ever. Our ability to respond in the manner we have will enable families and businesses to begin the process of getting their lives back to normal as fast as humanly possible and minimize the financial impact of their loss. After all, that’s why most of our contractors got into this business in the first place – to help people.”
For homeowners, property owner and managers and government officials seeking the most up-to-date information on the disaster recovery efforts, DKI has established a Web-based resource which provides important updates on storm activity, as well as how to prepare for a storm beforehand and respond to its impact afterwards.
