How Athos Helped Houston Overcome Harvey
Background
Hurricane Harvey hit the Texas coastline in August of 2017 with devastating force. Next to Katrina, Harvey's 134 mph winds caused one of the most destructive tropical storms ever recorded with $125 billion in damage. The catastrophic rainfall that followed triggered flooding that left a third of the Greater Houston area under water, and local police officers and first responders overworked and overwhelmed.
Challenge
How do you plan for one of the largest natural disasters in history?
Athos needed to coordinate resources and support for local law enforcement, emergency services and businesses in areas along the Texas coastline where the storm was expected to hit.
Then, we needed to adapt to the storm as it developed and mobilize officers across Texas and Louisiana to help with rescue and security efforts in areas where emergency resources were stretched to the max.
Solution
Mobilize off-duty resources to the right places in real time.
Plan
Before the storm, Athos worked with law enforcement departments across the state to find and deploy police officers to key areas of impact.
Deploy
When Harvey hit land, Athos was there. Our officers helped navigate supply convoys past flooded roads, to key communication points and supply staging areas.
Direct
As the storm raged on, we followed, deploying officers and personnel directly behind and in front of Harvey's destructive path.
Throughout the storm, Athos executives were on the front lines of the impact zone, helping coordinate supplies and logistics, checking officer safety and providing a steady supply of relief to local law enforcement departments and first responders.
Results
Over the course of one month, Athos:
- Deployed 500+ law enforcement officers
- Coordinated with 140+ agencies
- Traveled to 100+ communities affected by the storm
Athos’ deployed officers made multiple arrests, but no reportable incidences occurred. All while maintaining 100% uptime for all critical infrastructure, supply yards, and evacuation sites for our clients.
In the aftermath of Harvey, we were able to do some good for the local officers affected by the storm. Once they were able to, Athos helped officers earn extra cash by coordinating secondary employment opportunities that helped them get back on their feet.
And when Hurricane Irma made landfall in Florida just 15 days after Harvey hit, Athos was there. Ready and able to respond without impacting relief efforts in Texas and Louisiana.
Natural disasters can be sudden and unpredictable. Don't wait until disaster strikes.