Success Story
The disaster that wasn’t
Summary
AccuWeather issued the world’s largest construction equipment manufacturer a tornado warning that saved 88 people when there were no other warnings from any other source.
The Challenge
For the world’s largest equipment manufacturer, Oxford, MS is one of their most vital plants, and operational uptime is essential. Each month the facility produces the 1.1 million industrial couplings used in almost every bulldozer, dump truck, and excavator the company produces.
On a late-winter evening, a devastating tornado struck the plant, along with everything in its path, threatening lives, company-wide production, and leaving the organization faced with the possibility of the most severe production crisis in their history.
The Solution
The recovery process began at 5:37 pm — before the tornado hit — when AccuWeather issued a tornado warning for a storm 18 miles away. At that time, no other weather agency had issued a warning for the plant location.
The warning was received via text message by the plant’s health and safety coordinator. She then immediately moved 88 people into shelter per her Emergency Action Plan. At 5:59 pm, the tornado struck. With AccuWeather’s warning, no injuries occurred as everyone had moved to shelter in a safe and orderly way thanks to the advance notice.
The Result
People are a company's most important asset. All 88 staff members went home to their families after this dangerous tornado struck thanks to the only warning available, issued by AccuWeather. The warning triggered the plant management’s safety plan, averting disaster.
Additionally, since there were no injuries - the plant’s staff was able to resume operations at a nearby facility within a matter of days, showcasing a business continuity success story.
AccuWeather’s business weather expertise enables companies to protect their people and property when severe weather threatens. Is your facility prepared to address the safety, business continuity, and other risks from the next storm? It may be already on its way.
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