Pump companies will locate the emergency pumps they need in smaller flood areas or near lift stations. Pump companies then have that equipment stored in a nearby facility so they can be easily relocated after the storm. Placing the equipment too close to the epicenter of the storm can be counterproductive.
“It doesn’t do much good to put your equipment right in the eye of the storm,” Eller said. “However, our diesel-driven pumps are very durable. Unless a tree falls on one of them, they can withstand heavy-weather conditions. Chances are they will survive the storm unless a tornado picks one of them up. These pumps are not built out of paper mâché. It’s more of a risk of having your employees there when the storm hits than machinery.”