Protect people and the planet
Delivering world-class safety and health
Prioritizing Safety Through a Natural Disaster
In August of 2021, our Pontchartrain Water & Protection manufacturing facility in La Place, Louisiana was severely impacted by Hurricane Ida. The site experienced excessive flooding and hurricane force winds of over 100 mph as the eyewall of the hurricane passed directly over the site. Power and potable water to the site were lost for an extended period.
Due to the high potential for hurricanes in this area, the site regularly conducts preparedness activities to safely shut down site operations, protect employees during and after a storm and contribute to community recovery when direct hits like Hurricane Ida occur.
DuPont Pontchartrain executed its hurricane response plan 5 days before storm impact. This plan included:
- All DuPont assets were shut down and placed in a safe operating state prior to the storm’s approach
- All non-essential employees were evacuated except for a ride-out team to ensure environmental safety
- 4 days before the storm impact, we activated the Corporate North America Natural Disaster (NAND) team. This team is charged with fully leveraging company resources to support sites with potential impacts from natural disasters.
The NAND team, with crucial support from the DuPont procurement organization, proactively mobilized back-up for employees at their homes, including portable generators, humidifiers, food, water and other essential supplies which arrived at our site one day after the storm.
A base camp providing hot meals, showers and restrooms was delivered to the site within two days and expanded to accommodate more people when needed. Base camp services were offered to our contractors and third-party tenants to aid in their recovery.
- The site reported no environmental releases and only minimal damage to the facility, though the need for tree removal was substantial
- Operations resumed less than one month later when power and water were restored to the facility
- Travel trailers were delivered for temporary use by employees who lost access to their homes
- DuPont donated to the local United Way agency of St. Johns Parish, LA to aid in community recovery
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