I received this email from Craig Huelsmann, Southern FS, Inc. marketing manager, commending several employees for their efforts during recent weather events.
In the past six months, Southern FS has had more than its share of reminders of Mother Nature's power. During the winter months, ice storms left several of our locations as well as local communities impassable due to downed trees, power lines, and storm damage debris. Then on May 8, 2009, we experienced straight-line sustained winds recorded between 80-90 miles per hour, golf ball sized hail, and a few tornado touchdowns in another seven counties. Both events left areas without power from one to 14 or more days. Each created unique challenges in serving large numbers of our communities without power to pump fuel or propane locally.
Several people in our organization jumped in during these local disasters, going above and beyond the call of duty. They worked well over normal business hours, through evenings, and on weekends to meet the challenges of helping customers, neighbors, and people they didn't even know.
These are just a few examples of how Southern FS employees pull together as a family to help people. We are very proud of the excellence the Southern FS team has shown.
In the past six months, Southern FS has had more than its share of reminders of Mother Nature's power. During the winter months, ice storms left several of our locations as well as local communities impassable due to downed trees, power lines, and storm damage debris. Then on May 8, 2009, we experienced straight-line sustained winds recorded between 80-90 miles per hour, golf ball sized hail, and a few tornado touchdowns in another seven counties. Both events left areas without power from one to 14 or more days. Each created unique challenges in serving large numbers of our communities without power to pump fuel or propane locally.
Several people in our organization jumped in during these local disasters, going above and beyond the call of duty. They worked well over normal business hours, through evenings, and on weekends to meet the challenges of helping customers, neighbors, and people they didn't even know.
During the winter ice storms, Mike Cozart, Comfort Pro heating specialist, drove an extra 30-40 miles roundtrip to get propane from a bulk plant that had power to ensure customers could cook and use their furnaces, even when his competitors wouldn't get out and get product for their customers. Gregg Lamb, energy sales specialist, fielded calls and coordinated temporary tank sets and helped move equipment. Russell Frizzell and Ricky Williams, energy specialists, worked with location employees to handle a commercial prospect as a team, which became a customer when their previous supplier was unable to provide a confident solution. John Miller, energy specialist, drove 30 miles out of his area to fuel a generator at a nursing home to ensure the safety of its residents, helping another driver who was unable to get his truck out of his driveway. Daniel Tanner, Gary Riley, and Darren Brown, servicemen, all jumped in to help cover potential leaks, out of gas and low gas concerns, temporary tank sets, preparing 12-volt fuel pumps, and covering for other fuel and propane drivers as needed.
This spring, John Fosse, location manager, coordinated setting up fuel tanks with 12-volt pumps just hours after the storm hit. Then, he stayed until dawn with Mike Crickman to fuel emergency, county, police, and sheriff vehicles. Larry Richey, Ron Clark, Jim Horton, Crickman, and Tanner, location employees and servicemen, transported, loaded, delivered, offered full service fueling for incoming vehicles, gathered names and phone numbers to coordinate orders, and set up and moved equipment as needed from Friday night through the following Tuesday. Randy Holliday and Terry Pike, energy specialists, spent their weekends hauling fuel to generators and clean-up crews even when they both had no power at their own homes.
These are just a few examples of how Southern FS employees pull together as a family to help people. We are very proud of the excellence the Southern FS team has shown.
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