Thompson Pump mobilized their Emergency Response Team (ERT) to provide flooding relief for those areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Thompson’s Baton Rouge, La., Jackson, Miss., and Pensacola, Fla., branch locations facilitated the relief effort. Thompson Pump is a 30-year veteran in disaster relief having assisted cleanup efforts with the Exxon Valdez oil spill, the World Trade Center collapse, several flooding events in the Midwest and hurricane damaged areas in the Southeast.
The ERT called on all 18 company-wide branch locations as well as numerous, distributors and dealers to provide pumps and equipment. Locations as far away as Kansas City, Kan., and Providence, R.I., answered that call and on Monday, September 6, 36 pumps filled with diesel fuel, and more than 3,000 feet of galvanized pipe were sent to New Orleans from Thompson’s marshalling yards. Thompson Pump provided two 24-inch axial flow pumps, one 20-inch axial flow pump, two 18-inch centrifugal pumps, 27 12-inch centrifugal dry-priming pumps, and four six-inch trash pumps. Suction/discharge hose and pipe were sent with each to allow for quick setup so the pumps could begin working immediately.
The vast devastation of this storm created an unusual situation for Thompson Pump. More often a pump supplier would work directly with municipalities following a hurricane. This time, Thompson was hired by Cajun Contractors, Baton Rouge, La., and Boh Brothers, New Orleans, La., through the Army Corps of Engineers. All pumps had to arrive with diesel fuel, the ERT spent their nights sleeping in a company-provided air-conditioned trailer instead of a normal hotel room, and since provisions were non-existent, the Thompson staff provided a job site cookout for the foremen, superintendents and their crew.
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