Hurricanes bearing down on your geographic area can put everyone on high alert. Days out, facilities managers are monitoring the storm’s progress along with every meteorologist, hospital, retailer, grocery store, and resident that may be impacted. Where will it land? How devastating will it be? When can we get help to those in need? How will we get back in business so we can provide important services?
The truth is that many layers of support, assistance, and logistics go into ensuring that an area impacted by hurricanes and other natural disasters can recover as quickly as possible. So how do you ensure that your hospital is running effectively, or your pharmacy can stay open for business in the aftermath of a hurricane?
GETTING BACK TO NORMAL
Start with the basics, like getting a roof over your head and a dry, safe place to work. It seems like a simple situation. Your commercial roof is mostly intact and you just need some repairs. Simply pick up the phone and call … who? After all, the local commercial roofers are in the same boat you are, just trying to pick up the pieces and return to normal. How do you get help?
We found that a true first responder system was needed to support our clients who have multiple locations across the country and need to have a way to get back to business as quickly as possible. So we responded to those needs by creating a fully functioning, well thought out First Responder model that serves our clients and supports our partners.
NATIONAL ROOFING PARTNERS
Whether it is a smaller or major storm, National Roofing Partners (NRP) has created a system that works for our partners and our clients. For example, when Hurricane Sandy hit, NRP had created a deployment system as far as five states away to ensure they had enough assets to effectively manage the need.
The NRP team begins by assessing the situation and determining an appropriate response. Phone calls are scheduled and notifications and alerts sent to our network so that those commercial contractors with teams available can provide updates on their resources.
Command Central, aka the NRP Home Office team members, creates a set of concentric rings with response teams, outlining the number of teams and resources available to handle the jobs within the storm area. They know how many crews are needed, where they are going, and on what day. Nothing is left to chance.
The system was originally devised by a former Marine with experience in logistics and equipment delivery. By utilizing the concentric rings, we have plenty of resources to effectively manage all the repairs needed within the storm area and still ensure that every NRP partner has sufficient numbers of crews left at home to serve clients.
THE NRP FIRST RESPONDER MODEL
NRP is comprised of Tier 1 commercial roofing contractors that span the country. These contractors represent over 120 locations and 8,000 team members, giving us a strong footprint of premier commercial roofing partners who can rally when called upon to help NRP clients and other partners. Via the First Responder model, we can quickly gather assets and position them to respond when the situation allows. Now, rather than hoping that you can get your roof repaired, the NRP clients know that help is on the way.
Our teams travel well, so they are not just showing up with men and women. We bring plenty of their own resources to ensure the teams are cared for, as well as materials, their own generators, and their own supplies. You cannot go into a situation where you might be without power for 2 to 3 weeks without being well prepared. Our teams have the capabilities and experience to do this work. In addition, we have agreements with manufacturers to get materials on the ground so we can perform the needed repairs quickly.
Getting boots on the ground quickly in any disaster situation is crucial. But making sure you have the right boots with the right equipment is really key. That is when the NRP First Responder model really shines. Our teams are there to support their other NRP brothers who have been negatively impacted by the storms and ensure our clients can return to business quickly. It’s important when you need to provide basic care and supplies to a disaster-torn area.
COMMERCIAL ROOFER TO THE RESCUE    
The next time you think of a First Responder, the image of a commercial roofer may not be what leaps to mind. But when you think about the importance of getting a hurricane-torn area back up and running, think about this—without a roof over their heads, people cannot stage supplies, keep dry, ensure that medical services are rendered, or even do something as simple as get food to those in need. It’s nice to know that someone has thought about the importance of keeping water out so the rest of the efforts can continue in a dry, safe place. ■
About The Author:
Dale Tyler has served as president of National Roofing Partners (NRP) since 2011. NRP is the most trusted name in the industry, and has the largest combined, national footprint in North America. Tyler oversees a network of 42 Tier 1 Roofing Contractors with over 120+ service locations and 8,000 employees nationwide. NRP has achieved Elite Contractor Status with all of the nation’s top manufacturers, and services premier national accounts across the nation.
_________________________________________________________________________
Modern Contractor Solutions, March 2015
Did you enjoy this article?
Subscribe to the FREE Digital Edition of Modern Contractor Solutions magazine.
BUTTON_ClickHere