Disaster Recovery

“After a catastrophic event like Hurricane Harvey, we immediately focus on our neighbors and community businesses as well as insurance companies and relief agencies, plus critical government, insurance and utility personnel.”

Karl Koch, General Manager and Vice President (Houston) – Enterprise Holdings Sept. 2017

We play a unique role in providing local transportation alternatives when hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, floods, hailstorms and other natural disasters strike. Because Enterprise Holdings operates more than 5,500 neighborhood and airport locations throughout the U.S. and over 800 locations across Canada, we are prepared and staffed to respond quickly and seamlessly, to move vehicles throughout North America and into affected areas, and to help insurance companies, utility companies and government agencies get the recovery and restoration process under way as quickly as possible.

Technology

Insurance adjusters and relief workers are often first on the ground and typically need vehicles to assess damage. To that end, each Enterprise regional operation has an Emergency Action Plan that focuses on how branch offices communicate with each other to ensure that the right number and types of vehicles are available where they’re needed most.

For example, our employees may be sent home with mobile tablets, which allow them to process rental transactions away from the counter in virtually any location. As a result, our employees – armed with their Enterprise LaunchPad® tablets – may quickly be reassigned from inoperable branch offices to other facilities. This state-of-the-art mobile technology also makes it easier to manage local demand when customer calls come into closed branch offices and are forwarded to other operational sites.

In addition, Enterprise Rent-A-Car has a Mobile Emergency Response Vehicle (MERV) that operates as a portable, state-of-the-art branch office in the event of an emergency in the U.S. or Canada. MERV is equipped with three workstations, five computers and a front counter. It can operate on a generator for more than 120 hours, supporting relief efforts even before local power is restored.

These emergency-preparedness efforts have been widely recognized. For example, both the National League of Cities and New York Gov. Cuomo’s office have noted Enterprise’s leadership in disaster recovery efforts. Government Executive magazine likewise recognized Enterprise in its “Crisis Management: Storm Surge” article that highlighted the company’s support for emergency responders during Superstorm Sandy. And in 2012, Enterprise Holdings addressed the Homeland Security Public-Private Partnerships Conference regarding the critical support role of Enterprise during times of crisis.

Disaster Relief

Beyond supporting mobility and infrastructure needs during times of emergency, Enterprise also works with nonprofit partners to assist with disaster relief efforts. For example, Enterprise has worked with the Red Cross globally for more than 30 years. That relationship includes an annual $1 million commitment by the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation – the philanthropic arm of the Enterprise brand – to the Red Cross’s Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP). Contributions to ADGP provide a reliable funding base for disaster relief services, enabling the Red Cross to respond immediately to meet the needs of those affected by disasters of all sizes, at no cost and regardless of income.

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