Company also makes $500,000 donation to American Red Cross disaster relief
Hurricane Harvey made landfall Friday night as a Category 4 hurricane. It came ashore just northeast of Corpus Christi, Texas, with winds around 130 mph.
Well before the storm made landfall, Lowe’s Emergency Command Center in Wilkesboro, North Carolina went into activation. There were 90 Lowe’s stores in the impacted area. The company announced a $500,000 contribution to the American Red Cross disaster relief to help the Red Cross provide food, emergency shelter, relief supplies and comfort to those affected by disasters like Hurricane Harvey.
Facts about Harvey
- Harvey could maintain tropical storm strength through early Wednesday, then weaken into a tropical depression, the National Weather Service predicted.
- Even after weakening upon landfall, Harvey was still a dangerous storm and “turning into a deadly inland event,” the FEMA chief tweeted.
- The National Weather Service said catastrophic flooding is expected; some areas could see more than 35 inches of rain.
Lowe’s also activated its customer donation program. Those who’d like to help can contribute to the Red Cross Disaster Relief in all 143 Lowe’s stores in Texas or online at Lowes.com.
Lowe’s Command Center was created in 1989 in the wake of Hurricane Hugo, which caused more than $7 billion worth of damage in the U.S., according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. During significant weather events, Command Center employees in Wilkesboro and down the road at Lowe’s headquarters in Mooresville essentially work around the clock to get critical supplies to stores.
“It allows us to be much more efficient and have a coordinated effort for storm preparedness and storm response,” said a company spokesperson and operations manager for Lowe’s Emergency Command Center. Lowe’s works with multiple weather service partners and local and federal emergency management officials to track and plan for impending storms.
During regular business operations, the coastal holding facility in Palmetto, Georgia, stages appliances that are shipped to 15 distribution centers nationwide, and then on to stores. However, when disaster strikes, Location Manager Cesar Guerrero and his 55 employees switch gears and work on getting relief supplies to impacted locations.
By Tuesday morning, Lowe’s had sent more than 700 truckloads of critical emergency supplies to areas in need.
Lowe’s employs more than 23,000 people in Texas and in the coming weeks, Lowe’s Heroes volunteers will help with relief and recovery efforts in communities affected by the storm.
Lowe’s Heroes partnered with the First Response Team of America on Tuesday to help with clean up efforts in Rockport, Texas.
CNBC broadcasted live from the Command Center on Wednesday. Watch it here
View the list of open and closed Lowe’s stores by clicking here.
For hurricane recovery needs, please visit Lowes.com/Hurricane.
