PCOs Recovering from Helene ‘One Day at a Time’

Editor’s note: PCT’s thoughts are with pest control owners, technicians, customers and those along the Gulf Coast in the path of Hurricane Milton, expected to take landfall this week. PCT will continue to follow reports and provide updates on those impacted by Hurricane Milton for continued coverage on relief efforts.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Hurricane Helene’s 500-mile-colossal path caused devastation from Florida’s Gulf Coast to the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia.

On Sept. 26, the Category 4 hurricane moved northward from Florida, demolishing homes, roads and knocking out electricity and cell phone powerlines for millions, the Associated Press reported. Additionally, Helene is reported to be the deadliest hurricane to hit the U.S. since Katrina in 2005, with 225 deaths.

Western North Carolina was one of the hardest hit areas, with significant losses and damaged structures, and about half of the victims were identified in North Carolina, AP reported.

There’s good news and bad news for Jeff Honeycutt, owner of Apex Pest Control, Asheville, N.C. The good news: Customers are experiencing a need for rodent, fly and stinging insect services with the increase in ground moisture and reservoir flooding downstream into communities, along with heavy rain before the storm hit.

The bad news? Honeycutt said he anticipates business loss in highly impacted areas from customers relocating and houses being washed away from the flooding, adding Apex has only serviced 20 percent of its regular customer base as of Oct. 9.

“Ground bees were coming up out of the ground and it was making Yellowjackets more aggressive, and rodents are starting to have an uptick in people needing service,” he said. “We have had a 100 percent callback rate. Not one person that I’ve called has said they did not need our help.”

Honeycutt said all nine of his employees are back at work as of Oct. 8, and customers are relying on Apex to help them with more than just pest control, like unplugging refrigerators and making sure items are secure in their homes.

The storm not only caused business operations to be in turmoil, but Honeycutt said he’s been relying on people in the industry, like colleagues Patrick Baldwin (FRANX) and Skye LaJaunie (LaJaunie's Pest Control), to “keep his head on straight” while in the thick of the storm.

“The power went off first and then we went without water and cell phone towers. We were only able to send a one-line text here and there,” he said. “It seemed like everything that was on my plate, and [Baldwin and LaJaunie] were able to reassure me. They even helped contact my employees to make sure they were okay.”

Hitting 25 years in business this year and no clear direction or certainty in the near future, Honeycutt said his plan is to take business “one day at a time.”

“I’m being optimistic,” he said. “You can get caught up in survival mode because you’re worried about employees, not having enough water, taking phone calls and not knowing what that call is going to be about.”

Scott Canady, president of the North Carolina Pest Management Association (NCPMA) and Canady’s Termite & Pest Control, said Hurricane Helene’s devastation has added to what is already a busy time of year in the pest control industry.

One of NCPMA first efforts was to have members collect supplies during the association’s annual Bug Cup Golf Tournament last month. They also asked participating members to bring donations to fill up a trailer, provided by City Wide Exterminating, that was headed to the western half of the state.

“We’re trying to come up with more relief ideas and think outside of the box a little bit,” he said. “We talked about doing a shared workforce program and helping businesses that are going to have employees who are not going to be able to work at all.”

With the help of other state associations lending a hand and offering support, Canady said NCPMA will continue to think long term for helping businesses, employees and their customers work through the destruction.

“We have hurricanes on the coast, so we are normally prepared for them, but then add in mudslides and 30 inches of rain, and the mountain areas weren’t ready for that,” he said. “People in other states aren’t just competitors, but our friends.”

Pest control owners/operators across the country, especially those in states neighboring North Carolina, shared first-hand experiences with storm devastation and understand the importance of relief efforts. Many are taking efforts into their own hands to provide supplies and monetary donations.

PCOs put boots on the ground in volunteer efforts.

Getem Services, Norfolk, Va., volunteered at a two-day packing event to ship supplies to Asheville, N.C., to help cleanup homes and communities.

© Getem Services

In each bucket were a roll of heavy-duty trash bags, paper towels, disinfectant wipes, all-purpose cleaning spray, hand sanitizer, masks, two pairs of gloves, and heavy-duty cleaning rags, said Getem Services Carley Church, marketing and human resources manager at the fourth-generation company.

Church said Getem dealt with hurricanes itself and know how critical support can be.

"As a company deeply rooted in our community, we understand the importance of giving back, especially during times of crisis,” Church said. “Volunteering is our way of treating others the way we’d want to be treated — standing by our neighbors in their time of need."

Skye LaJaunie, owner of LaJaunie’s Pest Control, Thibodaux, La., is also no stranger to hurricane devastation. In 2021, Hurricane Ida passed directly over the company’s service area and severely impacted customers, employees and interrupted normal business operations.

LaJaunie also lost her home in the storm three years ago. The decision to help with charitable responses was an easy one, she said.

Her son, Christian, who owns and operates a business that helps clear storm debris and does light demolition, coordinated transportation for the supplies and began a GoFundMe page to raise funds. LaJaunie's Pest Control agreed to match all monetary donations dollar-for-dollar and sponsor a drop off site donations and warehouse any donated supplies. 

© LaJaunie Pest Control

“As of now, we are continuing to raise funds and accept relief supplies and they will be delivered to Asheville, N.C., and will be distributed by the local church onto light trucks, vehicles, and even horseback to reach the rural areas that have limited accessibility due to washed out roadways,” LaJaunie said. “The experience of such loss and generosity left a mark on myself and my team so we always take the opportunity to support an effort to help others in need.”

Julie Tesh-Clark, Pest Management Systems, Greensboro, N.C., put together, in less than a day, two box trucks, a flatbed with a trailer full and a support vehicle down to Western N.C.

Tesh-Clark said customers also dropped off donations and individuals in the pest control industry from across the country, including the National Pest Management Association, contributed.

“I cried all day yesterday, just so touched by the amount of folks that pitched in,” she said. “It sure made us realize how amazing community is and how we come together. We counted our blessings to have had the opportunity to help out.”

© PMI (Pest Management Systems)

Massey Services made a $15,000 donation to the American Red Cross relief efforts for Hurricane Helene. 

In addition to the donation, Massey Services, which has several service centers in the devastated areas, has been covering hotel costs for current team members whose homes were destroyed from the storm.  

“The impact this storm has had on so many areas in the Southeast has been tragic,” said Tony Massey, president & CEO of Massey Services. “We are happy that as a company we are able to contribute to these communities in their time of need. We also want to offer our sincere appreciation to the Red Cross and all other volunteers who have donated countless hours to help the affected regions.”