KENNARDS Hire says it mobilised equipment from its hire centres around Australia to swiftly respond to the Queensland flood and cyclone disasters.
Four of Kennards Hire’s branches were inundated by flood waters, and others were cut off, but the company says it was able to respond quickly to the relief and rebuilding needs in Queensland.
Kennards Hire branches at Indooroopilly and Rocklea sustained serious water damage, as did the Kennards Concrete Care and Kennards Lift & Shift outlets at Rocklea.
These branches were supported by local staff and an interstate team, with the clean-up effort allowing them to reopen in a little over a week.
The hire centres in Brisbane and the Gold Coast allowed the company to provide much needed equipment in the wake of the disasters. Semi trailers brought in extra equipment from centres as far away as South Australia.
The first shipments included wet-dry vacuums, blower-dryers and dehumidifiers. The company also transported generators from 2kVA up to 100kVA, pumps, water blasters, carpet cleaners, utility lights, floor strippers, skid steer and mini skid steer loaders, mini excavators, mini loaders and trucks.
Kennards also purchased a range of new equipment, including 4-series skid-steer loaders and 2-tonne and 6-tonne tip trucks.
One request, from the State Disaster Co-ordination Centre, came in at 11.15pm during preparations for the cyclone Yasi, seeking toilets, generators and portable air conditioners for a temporary hospital for evacuees at Brisbane Airport.
The Virginia branch of Kennards delivered the equipment to the airport by 12.30am.
Kennards was now hiring equipment and vehicles for the infrastructure rebuild. The company also donated $100,000 to the Queensland Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal.