Industry responds to terrorist attacks

This industry - across virtually all product areas - is providing an unprecedented response to the events of Sept. 11 in the U.S. Manufacturers and distributors of industrial supplies - particularly safety equipment, tools and equipment to assist in search and rescue efforts - have made generous donations of product, time, money and technical assistance into the rescue and recovery sites in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania, and continue to keep workers supplied with protective equipment. Some associations are helping to coordinate assistance efforts.

While some companies aren't announcing their efforts publicly, there are reports that nearly every manufacturer of personal protection equipment, along with distributors with East Coast operations, have donated time and product to assist where needed. And companies nationally are calling association offices or emergency agencies to find out how they can help and how to get products where they are needed.

Industry response was fast. By noon, on Tuesday, Sept. 11, the day of the attack, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had contacted W.W. Grainger, seeking delivery of generators to the disaster scene. A set of 30 generators was located at Grainger's branch in Albany, NY. Grainger contacted Con-Way Central Express (CCX) to move the generators to their branch near Elmsford, NY, just on the north side of Manhattan. The 14,000-pound load was placed in two 28-foot trailers and dispatched directly to New York. By the time it reached Elmsford, FEMA had made arrangements to allow the truck to proceed directly to the disaster site. The delivery was made by 7:30 p.m. that evening.

On Wednesday, Sept. 12, Airgas Safety put together a shipment of items needed by the rescue workers. It included 15,000 coveralls, a large number of boots, 600 boxes of respirators, lanterns and batteries, one 60,000-watt laser light, and four 100,000-watt spot lights. In all, a little more than 9,800 pounds of materials. Con-Way Central Express made the delivery to the disaster site by 1 a.m. on Wednesday morning.

The New York National Guard made a special call to the Bullard Co. by Thursday, Sept. 13. Bullard, Cynthiana, KY, manufactures industrial hardhats and fire helmets. The Guard was asking for the donation of 10,000 hard hats for the disaster recovery work at the New York World Trade Center. They began manufacturing and packing the hats immediately. Doug Ison, CCX service center manager in Lexington, KY, donated the transportation to make this urgent delivery.

Here's a brief recap of just some of the reports coming in. There are many, many more by companies and individuals who are quietly finding ways through their industry associations or personal contacts to help make a difference.

• Businesses of DuPont, Wilmington, DE, are donating materials and services to help the victims of last week's tragedy in New York City and Washington, DC and their families. DuPont Advanced Fiber Systems is shipping 1,400 pairs of heavy-duty gloves to rescue workers in New York City. Wells Lamont, also has agreed to donate some excess inventory of firefighter gloves. DuPont Apparel & Textile Sciences shipped T-shirts and socks to rescue workers in New York City. DuPont Pharmaceuticals used its Delaware-based HIV outreach van to take water, food and clothing to relief workers in New York City. DuPont also announced the company is donating $5 million to assist the victims of last week's terrorist attack and their families. The funds primarily are earmarked for the education of the children of firefighters, police officers and other uniformed emergency personnel who lost their lives as a result of the attacks.



• Grainger, Chicago, IL, is in the process of donating $1 million in cash and emergency supplies to aid rescue and recovery teams in New York. The company is providing an assortment of products, including: hard hats, steel-toed

boots, respirator masks, safety glasses and gloves. Grainger is pulling emergency supplies from more than 20 branches located within 100 miles of NYC. Its Grainger Branch 551, located at 150 Varick St. (two miles away from the World Trade Center) will remain open 24 hours a day indefinitely to provide emergency supplies to response teams. The company shipped more than 50 trailers of product to the affected areas in both New York and Washington, DC to meet demands created by the sustained rescue efforts.

Airgas, Inc., Radnor, PA, mobilized its national distribution network to provide the packaged gases, welding supplies and safety products needed to respond in New York and Washington, DC. Almost immediately after the disaster, Airgas Safety began to search its nationwide inventory for needed material and donated $50,000 in goods - including respirators, hard hats, safety goggles, gloves, and overalls - to the American Red Cross and the National Guard. It also has sold at cost additional safety equipment to customers who have, in turn, donated the products to the relief efforts. In anticipation of an increased demand for medical and industrial grade oxygen and acetylene, Airgas began moving cylinders to its Northern New Jersey, New York and Connecticut locations. Airgas has more than two dozen locations within 100 miles of New York City. Both Airgas and Red-D-Arc, an Airgas company in Grimsby, Ontario, which has the largest rental welder fleet in North America, have registered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide cylinder gases as well as rental welders, generators and plasma cutters that may be needed in the effort.

Fisher Scientific activated an emergency response team - consisting of Operations, Logistics, Customer Service and Sales employees - to operate around the clock. The team responded to all emergency requests instantly and has continued to receive and ship orders 24 hours a day. In response to emergency requests from the New York City Fire Department and the chief medical officer of New York City, Fisher donated safety and medical equipment and supplies to assist in the rescue and recovery efforts. In offices nationwide, employees have been volunteering to give blood, in addition to their financial contributions.

3M, St. Paul, MN, continues to work with government and relief agencies to identify 3M products needed in relief efforts and ship those products to their destinations as quickly as possible. Products shipped so far range from respirators to pharmaceutical and medical products to animal care products for search-and-rescue dogs. 3M has provided the American Red Cross of the St. Paul Area with office space and telephones to help them respond to the high number of phone calls they continue to receive. The American Red Cross will utilize space at 3M's West Caldwell, New Jersey facility as a staging area for supplies and distribution. The 3M Foundation, St. Paul, MN, is matching employee and retiree contributions. This grant for up to $250,000 is being given to the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and the United Way September 11th Fund.

Bullard, Cynthia, KY, has contributed thermal imagers, hard hats, rescue helmets and air quality products to aid in recovery efforts. Commercial value of these products is more than $175,000. To respond rapidly to the needs for its equipment, Bullard personnel from both the office and the production facility joined together to produce, package and ship the donated products within 24 hours time.

Employees of Horizon Solutions Corp., Rochester, NY, initiated several relief programs. A truck was sent to NYC with boots, gloves, respirators, masks and equipment. In addition, Horizon has made a commitment to raise $10,000 for The September Eleventh Fund (a United Way program) and is matching funds up to $5,000 with employee donations. Horizon is

an industrial/electrical distributor made up of the acquired companies of RERO Distribution (Rochester, NY), Holmes Distributors (Portland, ME), and Oakes Electric Company (Holyoke, MA).

Kennedy Electric Supply Corp., Jamaica, NY, has been coordinating donations through electrical distributors nationally. There are more than a dozen electricians missing in the World Trace Center area, according to official accounts.

Many businesses providing support and resources for the local rescue efforts in New York City called on Con-Way Transportation Services, Inc., Ann Arbor, MI, to deliver supplies as quickly as possible to the disaster site.

Associations assist efforts

Distribution associations are helping members make connections with specific relief agencies or with other members who are coordinating with search and rescue efforts. The International Safety Equipment Association has information at their site (www.safetyequipment.com). The National Association of Electrical Distributors has posted articles on its magazine?s site (www.tedmag.com) regarding its members' efforts in NYC and elsewhere, as well as contact information for getting supplies to where they are needed.

The Specialty Tools and Fasteners Distributors Association (STAFDA) referred members to Bill Tulley of Diamond Abrasives Corp., New York, NY, as the point person to get construction products and supplies to workers in NYC. Diamond Abrasives is a member of the Concrete Saw & Drilling Association. He was inundated last week with supplies, according to Georgia Foley, STAFDA executive director. Those willing to help with the relief efforts are requested to now fax Tulley first at 212-764-0349 to determine need.

Meetings postponed, canceled

Several industry association meetings were also canceled or postponed:

• The International Association of Plastics Distributors canceled their annual meeting Sept 12-16 in Nashville and rescheduled it for Nov. 28 - Dec. 2 at Opreyland.



• The National Welding Supply Association canceled its annual meeting in San Francisco, set for Sept. 23-26, without rescheduling.



• The National Industrial Belting Association canceled its annual meeting Sept. 15-18 in San Antonio because of travel concerns.



• The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors rescheduled a Sept. 12 Large Company Conference in Chicago for Nov. 27-28.