DIS-TRAN Steel's Quick Response for Storm Restoration

When August graces us with her presence, we cringe, and I’m not just referring to the scorching heat waves, but a particular season that Louisianans have come to know all too well, Hurricane Season.

Hurricane Katrina left a lasting impression that will forever be remembered, and after hearing that another hurricane was headed our way, it brought back chilling memories.

Thankfully, unlike Katrina, Hurricane Isaac started off as a category one and then dropped to a tropical storm. But even as a tropical storm, winds reached 80 mph, causing fallen trees and downed power lines, as well as flooding.

After Hurricane Isaac lingered over the coast at an agonizing 8 mph, thousands of residents were left in the dark without power. Being an everyday commodity, we kind of forget what life would be like without electricity, until Mother Nature reminds us. I mean, think about all the avid hunters and fishermen across Louisiana with pounds of frozen meat or fish in their freezers, or think about no air conditioning. It’s not like you can open a window and catch a cool breeze around here.

Just as quickly as meteorologists discovered Hurricane Isaac and started following this tropical storm, so did DIS-TRAN. We know that when bad weather comes our way, we need to be prepared to stop, drop, and roll in case one of our customers needs us for storm restoration.

One of DIS-TRAN’s valued customers, Entergy, who serves a majority of the population in New Orleans and surrounding areas, had a big job on their shoulders when Isaac turned its’ path and headed straight for Louisiana. But they were prepared, and DIS-TRAN was ready to back them up every step of the way.

At 1:12 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 31, just days after Isaac made landfall, Entergy contacted us to push out substation materials ASAP. Despite having a full backlog until the beginning of next year, flexibility to “stop, drop, and roll” to help our customers in times of need, allowed DIS-TRAN to manufacture, galvanize, and deliver Entergy’s order within 24 hours to their site in Bridge City, La; roughly three and a half hours away.

Although there were obstacles along the way, like Interstate 10 being closed due to flooding and traffic, we understood the severity of the situation and our loyalty to keep our word. It wasn’t easy, but we would do it all over again for any of our customers.

You know the saying, “You can tell who your true friends are in times of need,”? Well, this was our chance to prove that DIS-TRAN can be depended on in times of need.

For more on what to do during a storm event, click here to download a Free Storm Recovery Plan: During Storm Checklist.