[Viewpoint] Hurricane Katrina creates a "national community"

Like many of our readers, the first thing that came to mind upon viewing television images of Hurricane Katrina’s wrath was genuine concern about the colleagues I have come to know who live and work along America’s Gulf Coast, respected PCOs like Eddie Martin, Chris Caire, Bob Kunst and Gordon Redd, Jr., just to name a few. Images of New Orleans’ poor and displaced in deplorable living conditions at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center also prompted memories of a time four years ago when the United States faced another national tragedy, the September 11th terrorist attacks. At the time, the National Pest Management Association was one of the few trade associations to hold its convention, choosing to move ahead with courage rather than look behind with trepidation as we entered a new, uncertain era in American history. As NPMA President Judy Dold wrote in the introduction to the conference workbook at the time, "I am personally outraged by these faceless acts of violence and promise you that as President of the NPMA I will do everything possible to make sure that our organization leads by example, much as we are doing by continuing with Pest Management 2001, taking the advice of President Bush and our nation’s leaders to remember those that perished, but to also continue with our daily routines and not give in to fear. Let us move forward united as the industry of pest management professionals and set the stage for the rest of the world to follow."

Truer words have never been spoken. And once again — this time in the face of a natural disaster rather than a terrorist attack — we have an opportunity to move forward "with unity" in support of America. And like 2001, we have to look no further than the pest control industry to be assured that the spirit of the American people will endure, for just days after Hurricane Katrina destroyed much of Gulfport, Miss., Gordon Redd, Jr., a second-generation PCO with deep roots in the industry, decided to do what his father, Gordon, had done 36 years before in the wake of Hurricane Camille (see related story on page 64). He decided to abandon his fears and trust in the Lord, welcoming each new day with optimism, viewing every new challenge as an opportunity to grow in faith.

Five days after Hurricane Katrina had laid waste to the city where he was born and raised, Redd ventured over to the Hancock Bank Building overlooking downtown Gulfport. "I walked into the building, which had sustained a lot of damage from the hurricane, wearing my Redd Pest Solutions shirt," he recalls, "and the young woman behind the desk said, ‘I’m glad you’re here, we’ve got ants.’" A second woman sitting nearby, admonished the receptionist, saying, ‘That’s Mr. Redd. He’s not here to perform pest control, he sits on our board.’" Redd wasn’t offended. In fact, he was flattered, for in the wake of all the destruction to his beloved hometown, in the face of all the misery that surrounded him, he was no longer the victim of a tragic natural disaster, but simply a man with a job to do. "I ran back to my office, which was still dark because electricity hadn’t yet been restored, and I grabbed whatever I could to do an ant control job. I went back to the bank and started treating the problem areas when the president of the bank walked by and said, ‘What are you doing Gordon?’ I said, ‘George, I might serve on the board of this bank and do a lot of other things in the community, but I’m a bug man first.’"

At that moment I realized that Gordon Redd and his colleagues along America’s Gulf Coast are going to be fine. It’s not going to be easy. It will never be the same. But it’s going to get better, and life, one day, will return to normal. "It’s been a real depressing time, but a real exciting time too," Redd says. "We’re not neighbors anymore — within blocks or cities of one another — but a national community. It’s just amazing how the whole country is working together to help their neighbors." And you and your colleagues are leading the way, Gordon, serving as an inspiration to us all.

The author is publisher of PCT. If you would like to contribute to hurricane relief efforts in support of PCOs in the affected region, visit the "For Professionals" section of www.pestworld.org.

ike many of our readers, the first thing that came to mind upon viewing television images of Hurricane Katrina’s wrath was genuine concern about the colleagues I have come to know who live and work along America’s Gulf Coast, respected PCOs like Eddie Martin, Chris Caire, Bob Kunst and Gordon Redd, Jr., just to name a few. Images of New Orleans’ poor and displaced in deplorable living conditions at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center also prompted memories of a time four years ago when the United States faced another national tragedy, the September 11th terrorist attacks. At the time, the National Pest Management Association was one of the few trade associations to hold its convention, choosing to move ahead with courage rather than look behind with trepidation as we entered a new, uncertain era in American history. As NPMA President Judy Dold wrote in the introduction to the conference workbook at the time, "I am personally outraged by these faceless acts of violence and promise you that as President of the NPMA I will do everything possible to make sure that our organization leads by example, much as we are doing by continuing with Pest Management 2001, taking the advice of President Bush and our nation’s leaders to remember those that perished, but to also continue with our daily routines and not give in to fear. Let us move forward united as the industry of pest management professionals and set the stage for the rest of the world to follow."

Truer words have never been spoken. And once again — this time in the face of a natural disaster rather than a terrorist attack — we have an opportunity to move forward "with unity" in support of America. And like 2001, we have to look no further than the pest control industry to be assured that the spirit of the American people will endure, for just days after Hurricane Katrina destroyed much of Gulfport, Miss., Gordon Redd, Jr., a second-generation PCO with deep roots in the industry, decided to do what his father, Gordon, had done 36 years before in the wake of Hurricane Camille (see related story on page 64). He decided to abandon his fears and trust in the Lord, welcoming each new day with optimism, viewing every new challenge as an opportunity to grow in faith.

Five days after Hurricane Katrina had laid waste to the city where he was born and raised, Redd ventured over to the Hancock Bank Building overlooking downtown Gulfport. "I walked into the building, which had sustained a lot of damage from the hurricane, wearing my Redd Pest Solutions shirt," he recalls, "and the young woman behind the desk said, ‘I’m glad you’re here, we’ve got ants.’" A second woman sitting nearby, admonished the receptionist, saying, ‘That’s Mr. Redd. He’s not here to perform pest control, he sits on our board.’" Redd wasn’t offended. In fact, he was flattered, for in the wake of all the destruction to his beloved hometown, in the face of all the misery that surrounded him, he was no longer the victim of a tragic natural disaster, but simply a man with a job to do. "I ran back to my office, which was still dark because electricity hadn’t yet been restored, and I grabbed whatever I could to do an ant control job. I went back to the bank and started treating the problem areas when the president of the bank walked by and said, ‘What are you doing Gordon?’ I said, ‘George, I might serve on the board of this bank and do a lot of other things in the community, but I’m a bug man first.’"

At that moment I realized that Gordon Redd and his colleagues along America’s Gulf Coast are going to be fine. It’s not going to be easy. It will never be the same. But it’s going to get better, and life, one day, will return to normal. "It’s been a real depressing time, but a real exciting time too," Redd says. "We’re not neighbors anymore — within blocks or cities of one another — but a national community. It’s just amazing how the whole country is working together to help their neighbors." And you and your colleagues are leading the way, Gordon, serving as an inspiration to us all.

The author is publisher of PCT. If you would like to contribute to hurricane relief efforts in support of PCOs in the affected region, visit the "For Professionals" section of www.pestworld.org.