Update: Factory Five Survives Blizzard of 2013
UPDATE: As of Tuesday, February 12th, we are 100% operational and back to building the best component car kits on the planet!
I am happy to report to you that Factory Five survived the huge North East blizzard without significant damage. Most areas are up and running and we are all back to work.
Nate Johnson and Chris Ronni clean up the factory after the storm!
Ops manager Nate Johnson and facilities guy Chris Ronni have been in charge of the clean-up. Nate even brought in a front-end loader for snow removal. Our resident Materials Manager Eddie Brundage is also a firefighter and worked around the clock as many power lines and poles were down in Wareham.
Thanks for all the kind words and also for all your patience. The crew prepared well for the storm and this time the weather guys didn’t get it wrong!
On a personal side, my house and neighborhood in Barrington, Rhode Island was without power for three days. I’ve got a generator, good friends, and spent the time with my son Adam making rounds, picking up firewood, and trying to lend a hand where needed. The highlight of the storm was driving to my parents in Boston in the middle of the storm with my 4-wheel drive F350. My father just had knee replacement surgery and my mother has advanced arthritis and needed help. The drive back south the next morning on abandoned roads was surreal!
A full vehicle travel ban, expect for emergency, utility, and medical was in effect rendering roads in Massachusetts and Rhode Island empty, allowing crews to clear the surfaces quickly.
All things considered, we are doing well. There’s a lot of folks helping each other and it just seems to me that when things are the worst is when Americans are at our best.
There’s a ton of snow (I think we ended up with 24 inches at work) and its hard to imagine that in a short while, we’ll be driving roadsters and laying down rubber on streets that are right now covered in snow-pack.
This Saturday’s Winter Open House will go on as planned. Talk to you guys soon!
Dave Smith
President
The building was well-prepped for the storm and the cars were tucked away warm and dry in the showroom.
