Home Depot activates emergency response center in Atlanta ahead of Hurricane Idalia

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Government officials aren’t the only ones opening emergency operation centers as Hurricane Idalia barrels toward the Gulf Coast. Atlanta-based home improvement giant The Home Depot is taking the same approach.

An Atlanta News First crew got a peek inside the center Tuesday at the company’s headquarters near Vinings in Cobb County. Leaders from various departments were gathered in the same wing of the sprawling campus, watching maps and radar images.

Jeff Partin is the director of emergency preparedness for The Home Depot.

“We like to think of ourselves as part of the larger national total response,” he said.

In one room, merchandising and inventory replenishment teams were in touch with local stores in the impacted areas, gathering information about what’s in demand.

“They in turn will order, purchase and get stuff shipped to the stores appropriate to the community’s need,” Partin said.

In an adjacent room, supply chain employees mingled with outside experts.

“We actually partner with a company called Early Alert which hires meteorologists and emergency management officials,” said Partin. “They take the meteorological data from the National Weather Service and overlay it and, by extension, are able to tell us what the forecast is specifically for our locations.”

That enables company leaders to shift resources where needed and accurately respond to their associates and team members.

“Our number one priority is taking care of our associates,” said Partin. “If we take care of our associates, they by extension can take care of their families and take care of the communities.”

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