Photo by The Home Depot
67088ae1a9996b6f30c00a6a Home Depot Response Center 24

The Home Depot Activates Emergency Command Center in Response to Hurricane Milton

Oct. 11, 2024
More than 100 expert associates across the business, including merchandising, operations, supply chain, and technology teams, are working around the clock to send essential supplies.

The Home Depot activated its emergency response command center at its Atlanta Store Support Center to support stores, associates and customers as Hurricane Milton approaches Florida’s Gulf Coast. 

Stores will remain open as long as it’s safe to do so. For the latest on store updates, click here.

Disaster Response Command Center Operations 

·        The Home Depot’s Disaster Response Command Center was activated on Sunday morning in response to Hurricane Milton. 

·        More than 100 expert associates across the business, including merchandising, operations, supply chain, and technology teams, are working around the clock to send essential supplies. 

·        The Command Center team monitors inventory in real-time so communities have the supplies they need to prepare for a storm and rebuild afterward. 

·        Ahead of a storm, products like generators, water, tarps, flashlights, plywood and batteries are prioritized to deploy from our distribution centers. 

·        Home Depot sent more than 800 truckloads of essential storm prep supplies to potentially impacted areas.  

·        After a storm, pre-staged trucks are placed right outside of the storm strike zone to immediately respond with recovery supplies like gas cans, generators, trash bags, cleaning supplies and chain saws.  

·        Home Depot stores and parking lots often serve as a home base for first responders, and the command center is a hub for communication so the company can respond to community needs.  

Associate Support 

After a storm strikes, many associates are recovering from the damage themselves. So, Home Depot associates from around the region rally to help support store operations in affected areas. These highly trained associate volunteers are experts in helping communities recover from natural disasters and allow their fellow associates time to focus on their families and homes. 

The company also deploys resources like meals, gas, water and shower trailers for associates without water or power.  

The Homer Fund, Home Depot’s employee assistance fund, provides immediate financial support to impacted associates in need of safe housing, food and clothing while displaced. 

Community Support 

The Home Depot Foundation is committed to supporting disaster relief in impacted communities. The Home Depot Foundation recently committed up to $2 million to support immediate disaster relief in communities impacted by Hurricane Helene.   

Ahead of hurricane season, Team Depot, The Home Depot’s associate volunteer force, assembles disaster relief buckets full of emergency supplies to quickly deploy to areas impacted by disaster. Team Depot donates relief supplies to nonprofits, first responders and government agencies. Volunteers also help clean up in local communities devastated by storms.   

From Hurricane resources & tips on staying safe visit the Weather Center Hub