American Buildings Company Provides Helicopter Pad For Local Community
Part Of Emergency Plan To Ensure Safety Of Employees And Area Residents
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The new helicopter pad can be seen alongside the ABC Eufaula facilities. Click image to enlarge.
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Eufaula, AL - American Buildings Company (ABC) has used its design expertise and resources to create a helicopter pad that can be used by the local Eufaula, Alabama community in the case of an emergency. The helicopter pad is located on the site of ABC’s headquarters and manufacturing plant in Eufaula.
After the area's devastating April 2011 tornadoes, ABC took another look at its emergency plans and implemented new measures, such as the helicopter pad, to ensure its employees’ and surrounding residents’ safety. ABC started by enrolling in OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP), which recognizes employers that have implemented health and safety management systems and maintain illness and injury rates below the national Bureau of Labor Statistics averages for the industry.
The company decided to go beyond the requirements of the VPP and worked with 25 of its employees to design and create a 250-square-foot helicopter pad that could be used to lift out residents during an evacuation. Approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Alabama State Department of Aeronautics, the landing pad is now open and ready for use as a back-up to the local hospital.
“At ABC, safety is a top priority,” said Ron Kuenkler, president of American Buildings Company. “We’ve implemented safety measures in all aspects of our business, and now with the helicopter pad, we have the opportunity to positively impact the surrounding community.”
ABC’s safety efforts continue to grow. The company recently worked with other businesses in Industrial Park to form an emergency response team. In a short period, the Industrial Park Emergency Response Team has grown to more than 50 members, including the local EMS, Barbour County Emergency Management Agency (EMA), Eufaula Police Department, Eufaula Fire and Rescue Department, and volunteer nurses.
Today, the team holds regular training meetings to assign tasks and prepare for a quick response in the event of an emergency. The team has been so successful that it’s sparked interest from other areas across Alabama, including Dothan, Birmingham, Montgomery, and Tuscaloosa.
In 2007, American Buildings Company was acquired by Nucor Corporation, a Fortune 200 Company. Nucor and its affiliates are manufacturers of steel products, with operating facilities primarily in the U.S. and Canada. Nucor is the largest steel producer in the United States and has not experienced a layoff due to lack of work in over 40 years. Nucor was recently honored by Forbes Magazine as the number one company in America’s Best Big Companies Honor Roll. Nucor is also North America’s largest recycler of steel.
About American Buildings Company
In 2007, American Buildings Company was acquired by Nucor Corporation, a Fortune 200 Company. For more than 65 years, American Buildings Company has been pioneering the design, manufacture and delivery of metal building systems and roofing systems that set the industry standard. From industrial and commercial structures to tailored projects for the automotive, retail and transportation industries, the ABC family of more than 800 authorized Builders has the expertise to exceed expectations for custom engineered metal building projects in a variety of industry segments. Headquartered in Eufaula, Ala., with engineering and manufacturing centers located throughout the U.S., ABC delivers a proven combination of products, technology and customer service to accurately execute projects on time and on budget. For more information on American Buildings Company, visit their website at www.americanbuildings.com.