On August 29th, Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana, after days of gaining strength through the Caribbean. After ravaging multiple states and thousands of miles, hundreds of thousands of people were left without electricity or access to clean water. Partnering with Circle K convenience stores, Twice the Ice stepped in to provide emergency disaster relief, and help thousands of those in need get access to clean water and ice to keep foods cold.
Hurricane Ida’s Devastation
Hurricane Ida moved through the Caribbean in the week prior to landfall in Louisiana, first identified as a Tropical Storm over the Cayman Islands on August 26th, and intensifying rapidly over the next three days. By the time it struck the Louisiana coast, the storm had grown into a Category Four hurricane, with winds of 150 mph.
The hurricane devastated the coast for nearly a week, bringing record-breaking rainfall and brutal winds before finally dissipating on September 4th. The impacts of Hurricane Ida covered thousands of miles, causing disastrous floods throughout the South, the East Coast, New England and even reaching as far as Nova Scotia.
Totaling $64.5 billion in damages, Ida is one of the top ten most destructive hurricanes in history. Throughout Louisiana, over a million people were left without power, and thousands had no access to drinking water, due to extensive infrastructure damages. With the ability to provide cold ice and filtered water, Twice the Ice stepped in to provide essential aid.
Twice the Ice and Circle K Partner for Disaster Relief Efforts
Twice the Ice CEO Troy Doom and Vice President of Operations John Edwards drove two mobile ice and water vending machines to the central disaster area. Working with disaster relief workers and partnering with Circle K convenience stores, they were able to locate a safe water source, connect to it, and provide clean, safe, drinking water and ice.
The mobile units not only provided an essential need when local water supplies were not reliable, but also allowed residents to keep perishable food cold. Twice the Ice and Circle K immediately began distributing ice to Hurricane Ida victims, distributing over 800 pounds of ice per day.
Understanding that the effects of Hurricane Ida are widespread and will require an ongoing effort to repair, Twice the Ice plans to keep the ice machines at the location to support the relief effort over the next 12 months. In total, Twice the Ice plans to donate up to 3 million pounds of ice to support the relief effort.
Disaster Relief: Then and Now
Adjusted for inflation, seven of the top ten costliest hurricanes in history have occurred in the last twenty years. The duration, severity and the speed at which hurricanes intensify is worsening due to effects of climate change. This means the damage from hurricanes will only get worse, and the need for aid will become more dire.
Twice the Ice has previously contributed to every major catastrophe in the southeast over the last ten years, including Hurricanes Matthew, Irma, Harvey, Michael, Maria, Dorian, and many more. When Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit in 2005, Twice the Ice donated two of the largest ice vending units, the Ice House, to the Houston Astrodome to give relocated storm victims access to water and ice. Local Twice the Ice vendors in Louisiana and Mississippi also donated ice to their communities. Twice the Ice and ice vendors donated a half a million pounds of ice in 2005.
As hurricane damages increase, as well as damages from tornadoes and similar catastrophes, Twice the Ice will continue to support communities in need. Working with emergency responders and relief aid organizations, as well as business partners like Circle K, Twice the Ice will help victims of weather disasters maintain access to essentials like water and ice, even in the wake of extensive damage.
