Cat® Rental Power Solutions Renders Aid in the Wake of Hurricane Ida
Cat® dealer Energy Rental Solutions Cat (ERS Cat) unleashed the power of the Cat network when it dispatched 600 Cat generator sets, air compressors, dehumidifiers, and technicians to set up and operate equipment as part of an effort to help communities ravaged by deadly Hurricane Ida.
Hurricane Ida made landfall near Port Fourchon, Louisiana, on August 29, 2021.
The Category 4 hurricane pummeled the southeastern coast of Louisiana, resulting in massive flooding and catastrophic devastation. Maximum sustained winds of 150 mph tore buildings apart, damaged infrastructure, and uprooted trees. Many people climbed to the highest levels of their homes in hopes of rescue, while hospital patients awaited evacuation.
Following Ida’s touchdown Sunday morning in Louisiana, the hurricane roared onto the Mississippi Gulf Coast by early Monday, causing further destruction. As the fifth most expensive hurricane in U.S. history, damages were estimated as high as $75 billion.
Technicians sent by Energy Rental Solutions Cat (ERS Cat) set up and operated generator sets and other equipment in the metro New Orleans area following deadly Hurricane Ida.
ERS Cat provided Cat generator sets, air compressors, and dehumidifiers to support businesses and critical service providers in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida and associated blackouts.
Thanks to ERS Cat, 600 Cat generator sets helped power hospitals, government facilities, and businesses, and ensured safe operations at nuclear facilities, refineries, and chemical plants after Hurricane Ida.
Supplying Solutions
As the hurricane was approaching, ERS Cat immediately sprang into action to support Gulf Coast residents. With one of the largest rental fleets of power generation products and compressed air, ERS was uniquely positioned to provide critical assistance. ERS set up living quarters in its Luling, Louisiana, facility and mobilized a dozen technicians to assist with shipping and running equipment throughout the metro New Orleans area.
Providing Power
In addition to losing homes and businesses, more than 1.2 million electricity customers lost power across eight states. Entergy, an energy company delivering electricity to 3 million customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, estimated that Hurricane Ida damaged more than 30,000 utility poles, nearly 35,000 spans of wire, and almost 5,600 transformers in Louisiana and Mississippi.
To supply temporary power, ERS furnished more than 600 generators to help hospitals and local government facilities providing critical services for residents as well as support nuclear facilities, refineries, and chemical plants, which needed power support to ensure safe operations.
Supporting Critical Services
Hurricane Ida destroyed water and sewer infrastructure, resulting in a lack of running water and sewer backups. ERS helped alleviate the situation by partnering with the local parish’s government facilities department to provide more than 80 generators to run a sewer lift station and support water operations while the grid was down. As a result, hurricane victims were able to maintain sanitary conditions while recovering from the traumatic event.
Helping Recovery
ERS provided more than 40,000 cubic feet per minute of oil-free air to those experiencing power outages rendering their compressed air systems inoperable. Air compressors were able to dry and test the integrity of pipelines, assist in manufacturing plant processes and testing systems, and perform other critical operations in the hurricane’s aftermath. In addition to air compressors, ERS offered dehumidifiers to remove moisture and humidity from homes and businesses as people worked on cleanup, restoration, and rebuilding their lives.
