Providing Support to Clients Weathering a Storm
A Weather Event Like No Other
In a world where extreme weather events are becoming tragically more commonplace, we are proud to have been a helping hand to our clients in weather emergency-effected areas. Such was the case when a snowstorm brought Texas to a complete standstill in 2021.
A forecasted “snow day” quickly turned into a catastrophic storm that left millions without power, forcing families to huddle in their cars just to stay warm. Power was not the only thing scarce; supply chain disruptions made it extremely difficult for many to find food. The below freezing temperatures, an anomaly in Texas, caused pipes to burst, disrupting water access for roughly half the population of the nation’s second most populous state.
Texas was severely impacted by water infrastructure damage, rolling blackouts, and lack of heat. Nearly every person was affected, as were the clients for which we provide facilities management services.
Mobilizing To Support Our Clients
Despite the challenges our own teams faced personally, they rallied together to provide resources, services, and support to help clients and their teams when even basic needs like food and water were at stake.
While our own teams faced immense personal challenges themselves, they rallied together to provide the essential resources, services, and support our clients needed. With basic needs, like food and water, on the line, we are incredibly proud still of our team’s efforts to deliver these essentials in a time of need.
Over the 20+ years I have been supporting Sodexo business in Texas I've had to deal with numerous weather events … I never expected to see what happened in February; temperatures that dipped below zero with wind chill, snow, ice, electrical and water issues. Our teams, while facing these challenges, really stepped up.
Despite the difficulty in procuring basics like water, a result of the supply chain disruptions and unpassable roads, our teams figured out how to secure two trailer truckloads of bottled water and delivered them to our Chevron client’s employees in Houston.
The Sodexo team in Pasadena supporting Chevron worked in advance of the storm to provide the operations ride out crew at the refinery with 200 pre-packaged microwavable meals along with 150 boxed lunches, non-perishable items for breakfast, snacks, and beverages.
Along with food, our team provided cots to support our client’s team with sleeping accommodations, while our Hard Services Team rotated shifts to allow for 24-hour onsite coverage for technical emergencies and fuel support, an essential in an operation major industrial operation such as a refinery.
In extreme conditions such as these were, we knew on-site readiness was essential. For example, when a significant leak happened at a lubricant’s facility in Fort Worth, we were able to quickly dispatch our team, who worked diligently with our client to remediate the space and get it operational again.
Recognizing Our Texas Teams
The COVID-19 pandemic had already offered novel challenges to our Texas team (and those everywhere), but when this winter storm further stretched resources, our teams showed just how capable they are to handle any situation.
During this challenging year, our teams have been on the frontline mobilizing resources to ensure our clients stay safe, healthy and continue to operate their businesses. We, in Texas, faced yet another challenge with the crippling weather conditions that led to power outages, water scarcity, and broken pipes. I wanted to take this moment to recognize our teams for their resilience, commitment, and dedication during these difficult circumstances.
Read how we've been able to improve Chevron's facilities management services while reducing their costs, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and quality.
This World FM Day, we recognize the ongoing service, support, and dedication our Sodexo teams showed our clients during these unprecedented times.