Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/1178690
ALL IN | AD Today 2019 | 65 "I've lived in Panama City, FL my entire life and have never witnessed something so catastrophic as Hurricane Michael," shared Michelle Jackson, Office Manager/Showroom Consultant at Albany, GA-based Engineering & Equipment Co., Inc., of the powerful Category 5 hurricane that devastated parts of the Florida panhandle in October 2018. "Our company had extensive damage to our warehouse and office building and we lost massive amounts of inventory," she said. "I and other co-workers were displaced from our homes and a few of us lost our homes and their contents completely." According to Jackson, "almost every single home, business, and structure in our area was affected by wind damage. Apartment buildings are completely vacant due to damage and places that have been repaired and are ready to be rented aren't affordable, as the rent prices have doubled. As a result, some people in our community have had to move away because they were unable to find a place to live. At Engineering & Equipment Co., we lost two employees based on this situation." "For months we had no open restaurants or fast food places," she continued. "I and another co-worker would prepare lunch daily for our employees at our boss' home and bring it to the office to feed our staff. More than nine months later, our office still isn't put back together; we have open interior walls and construction going on daily. Every employee experienced some type of damage; whether from lost homes, vehicles, and personal property, or else navigating the bureaucracy of insurance claims, each one of us has had to weather some type of obstacle." Jackson said that two Engineering & Equipment employees used funds collected through the AD Disaster Relief Foundation to purchase vehicles while several others, including herself, used the assistance on housing, to replace lost items such as clothing, "Though I had insurance, it wasn't enough to replace my entire home and I'm having to borrow to rebuild, which has been a red-tape, 'hurry-up-and-wait' process. My permit was just issued on July 3rd, 2019 to start the rebuilding process." – Michelle Jackson, Engineering & Equipment Co., Inc. Michelle Jackson Office Manager/Showroom Consultant Engineering & Equipment Co., Inc. ALL IN | AD Today 2019 | 65 bedding, etc., or to cover their insurance deductibles. "I personally lost my house entirely, have argued with my insurance company and insurance adjusters, and had to file with the SBA for assistance," Jackson said of her ordeal. "Though I had insurance, it wasn't enough to replace my entire home and I'm having to borrow to rebuild, which has been a red-tape, 'hurry-up- and-wait' process. My permit was just issued on July 3rd, 2019 to start the rebuilding process." Because Jackson had insurance, her eligibility for FEMA assistance was denied. "My advice to anyone would be to get better insurance, as this experience has shown us all that you can never be over-insured," Jackson said. In light of everything she's been through, Jackson sincerely appreciates the support AD provided when she needed it most. "Without a doubt," she said, "the AD Disaster Relief Foundation was a tremendous help to me personally and we're all very grateful." A Hurricane's Havoc in Florida