Hurricane Ida roared in from the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday and in the following days caused damage from torrential rain and wind from New Orleans to New York City.
Fortunately for the auctions within the storm’s path operated by ADESA and Manheim, no significant problems have been sustained at their operations.
Auto Remarketing received updates from Cox Automotive and KAR Global on Friday, relaying the positive details.
Cox Automotive shared details from Matt Trapp, who is Manheim’s regional vice president for the East, and Tim Janego, who is Manheim’s regional vice president for the Southeast. Most importantly, Trapp and Janego confirmed that the company accounted for all team members.
“In the wake of Hurricane Ida, Manheim’s top priority was contacting all team members in communities impacted by the storm’s destruction to account for their safety and security,” Trapp and Janego said in the update sent on Friday morning.
“And, while our Manheim New Orleans and Manheim Lafayette locations closed briefly due to the powerful storm, both are now back to normal operations,” they continued.
“To prepare for Hurricane Ida’s arrival in the Northeast, we sent team members home early Wednesday from our nine locations in New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Early reports indicate minimal damage to our auction locations,” Trapp and Janego went on to say.
Trapp and Janego also mentioned that Manheim’s Atlanta-based corporate human resources team is leading the effort to provide resources and information to team members affected by Hurricane Ida. They indicated the efforts include coordinating access to the Cox Employee Relief Fund, which is available through Manheim’s parent company at Cox Enterprises.
That fund offers immediate financial assistance to team members for unexpected needs resulting from a disaster.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with our Cox Automotive and Manheim families, and their communities, as they begin the hard work of recovering from this devastating storm,” Trapp and Janego said.
Meanwhile, over at KAR Global, the company said in an update on Friday afternoon that all of its Gulf Coast operations were unharmed and continue to operate as planned.
However, the company added that ADESA New Jersey is closed to customers until Tuesday at 9 a.m.
“We will work hand-in-hand with our customers to assess any damage and prep for the next sale, which is scheduled for Thursday, September 9th,” a KAR Global spokesperson told Auto Remarketing.
Officials from the National Weather Service recorded wind gusts of 172mph in Port Fourchan, La., one of six locations where they said Ida generated wind speeds of at least 110mph in the state where the storm made landfall 16 years to the day after Hurricane Katrina.
The National Weather Service also said 13 locations in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi had preliminary rainfall estimates of at least 11 inches, with Slidell, La., leading the way at 15.73 inches.
The Gulf Coast was just the opening segment of Ida’s journey north toward eastern Canada. Officials spotted significant rainfall totals in locations such as Staten Island, N.Y. (8.92 inches), Ringoes, N.J. (9.91 inches), Coatesville, Pa. (9.43 inches) and Peckham Farms, R.I. (9.83 inches).
“My message to everyone affected is: We’re all in this together. The nation is here to help,” President Joe Biden said in remarks made on Thursday.
Source : AutoFinanceNews
