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New Orleans and the state of Louisiana are once again left to pick up the pieces after Hurricane Ida made landfall this week. The storm has since been called the second most intense hurricane to make landfall in Louisiana.
Reminiscent of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the state in August 2005, glass shops and other businesses and residents are now left to clean up the devastation left by the storm.
Novus Inc., a glass repair and replacement company that handles commercial, residential and automotive services,has three franchises in the New Orleans area: Sulphur, Lake Charles and Shreveport.
“All are doing very well,” says Ted Andersen, vice president of U.S. operations for the company.
According to Andersen, this time last year, the three franchises were greatly affected by Hurricane Zeta. The franchisees in Lake Charles and Sulphur, especially, “were crushed. They were down for weeks,” he says.
“But, this time, the storm went east instead of west,” Andersen says, and the franchisees only received heavy rain and reported that shelves are nearly empty in local stores of supplies and food.
When a natural disaster such as a hurricane happens, Andersen says he makes sure to reach out to franchisees in the affected areas as soon as possible to find out if they are all right, what they need and how Novus Inc. can assist.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who are struggling right now. You gotta keep going day by day,” Andersen says.
According to Robert Struble, communications manager for Vitro Architectural Glass, weather events such as hurricane always put a strain on already challenged transportation resources. “Flooding, power outages and road closures in one region can impact shipping throughout the country,” he says. “Presently, we are aware of no glass supply disruptions, only temporary transportation delays.”
He adds, “On a more personal level, our greatest concern is for those directly impacted by the damage and flooding. It’s been very hard to watch the news and see the human suffering to so many in the storm’s path.”
Bloomberg reported that Hurricane Ida hit Louisiana with maximum sustained winds of 150 miles per hour when it made landfall in the U.S. near Port Fourchon, La., according to Karen Clark & Co., a catastrophic insurance agency. Those winds took down trees and power lines and damaged schools, hospitals and other buildings, including complete roof and wall collapses in some cases. Expected insured damages are reported to range from $15 to $20 billion.
Local news stations in the area have reported on the extensive damage the storm has caused, with one station explaining that The Galleria, a well-known glass structure in Metairie, sustained damage as the storm passed through.
USGNN™ attempted to contact several glass companies in the areas surrounding New Orleans, but they could not comment or phone lines were disconnected.
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