AccuWeather speaks with Kelvin Dedner from the Lowe's Command Center who explains how the Lowe's stores located in Florida are helping with recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
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00:00Kelvin Dender is a senior vice president for the home improvement chain and he joins us now from Mooresville, North Carolina
00:07Thank you so much for making time for us Kelvin
00:09I know that this is a critical critical time for your business as
00:13You're able to help so many people when there is a tremendous need their homes have taken damage. So
00:19You are at the Lowe's command center. What's happening on a busy day like this right now?
00:24Well, thank you for having us today having me today
00:26I'd tell you know, first off our thoughts and prayers go out to all those who have been impacted by Helene
00:32you know for those who've been displaced and
00:35Most importantly for those who have lost loved ones
00:38We always understand that this is truly a people event and we like to be prepared for that
00:44our emergency operations team has been
00:48Inactivation since Tuesday bringing together about 40 teams to focus on one thing and that's supporting our field and our communities
00:55Our field leaders in our communities in which we operate and serve
00:58Making sure they have the right product at the right time to take care of the communities and our customers
01:05Sting field teams and in-store teams during a hurricane or other major weather disaster
01:10What kind of things are you involved with here? How does your activation help in the communities where your stores are located?
01:18Yeah, so our teams come together in the days leading into the storm making sure that the essential products
01:24They're stocked in full to ensure that our customers have the things that they need
01:29That they want heading into this to the storm, but also on the back side of the storm making sure they have a thing
01:36On the storm we've been working
01:39With those in the impacted areas through Florida and up through the Carolinas
01:44We have emergency response teams ready to go out today
01:47These are associates that are leaving and in geographic areas not impacted by the storm
01:52And they're going to the most hard-hit areas to support the communities
01:56But also to be there to support our associates that have been impacted by the storm so they could spend time with their families
02:03This is voluntary that they take away time away from their families to be able to do this
02:09We've also have our Lowe's employee relief fund where we raise dollars through donations to
02:17Support those associates that have been impacted by events like this
02:20Most recently this week. We had a concert here at the Mooresville store support center
02:26We were able to raise over a million dollars toward this
02:29We're also gonna match each dollar raised two for one
02:33Through December to ensure that we have the funds we need to support those associates impacted
02:39And Kelvin as we come up at the end of this block
02:41We have just under a minute or so Lowe's has partnered with AccuWeather for years receiving AccuWeather
02:44Warnings and forecasts with proven superior accuracy tailored to your operations
02:49So, how does AccuWeather help you best prepare for severe weather?
02:54Absolutely AccuWeather has been a great partner with us for 12 years
02:58The the data the insights as you see on the screen there the insights that we use
03:03To monitor and track storms with both events large and small to ensure that we are proactive as opposed to reactive
03:10to be able to get our field leaders our
03:13supply chain teams the information the store support center the information that they need
03:18To have what we need to meet the needs of our communities as I've said
03:23pre-storm and post