Disaster response

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30 Dec: Best Buy, community came together during record-breaking disaster season

Amanda Bergeron had been an assistant store manager just two weeks when Hurricane Laura struck the Gulf Coast in August, destroying her store in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Several employees were displaced from their homes as the Category 4 storm knocked out power and much of the city’s water. The store was rebuilt from the ground up — an endeavor that took nearly two months.

Then, just weeks after the store’s grand reopening the first weekend of October, it was closed again in preparation for Hurricane Zeta.

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09 Mar: After Nashville Tornado, Best Buy Brings Support, Volunteers

Best Buy employees in the Nashville area are rallying to support the community after the deadly tornado that struck last week.

The company is donating money and sending teams of volunteers to help with the local response and recovery efforts.

“We see the customers who are in our stores every day all across Nashville who are trying to figure out next steps, and we’re hoping to just bring a little relief this week,” said Best Buy District Manager Kavin Johnson, who has lived in the area for 20 years.

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06 Dec: After hurricane, Panama City employees rally to help others

Tony Dandy has been living in temporary housing in Panama City Beach, Florida, for almost two months after his house was damaged by the winds and rain of Hurricane Michael. And he probably won’t be able to move home for a few more weeks.

But, despite his own hardship, the Best Buy supervisor has been volunteering several times a week to help others in the community. And dozens of employees from our Best Buy store in Panama City have joined him to assist with the recovery efforts.

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21 Nov: Best Buy Helping Employees, Communities Affected by California Wildfires

Like the rest of the country, we are deeply saddened by the impact the deadly wildfires have had on our employees, customers and communities in California. Our thoughts are with all those who have been affected.

Thankfully, all our employees in the affected areas have been accounted for. However, at least seven of them have lost their homes, and many more remain under mandatory evacuation orders.

The store in Chico closed for two-and-a-half days during the fire to accommodate employees who were dealing with evacuations and ensure their safety amid extremely poor air quality.

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16 Nov: 3 Best Buy stores shuttered by hurricanes reopen

Three Best Buy stores that had been closed because of hurricane damage reopened Friday, just in time for the busiest shopping week of the year.

Two of the stores are in North Carolina and sustained heavy damage from Hurricane Florence in September. The third store is in Puerto Rico and had been closed for more than a year since Hurricane Maria battered the island, causing widespread flooding, infrastructure damage and loss of lives.   

When disasters shutter stores, we look to find employees shifts at nearby locations, if possible.

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15 Oct: Government leaders laud Best Buy for supporting employees after Hurricane Florence

WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA — When Hurricane Florence hit the North Carolina coast on Sept. 13, our Best Buy stores in Wilmington and Morehead City sustained significant water damage. Both remain closed.

How Best Buy has responded since then — continuing to pay employees who are doing volunteer work in the community — has gotten the attention of lawmakers and officials in Washington, D.C., who recently requested a visit to learn more.

On Monday, a group of national and local government officials visited the Wilmington Best Buy store to meet with employees.

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10 Oct: Best Buy’s Preparing To Help Hurricane Michael Recovery

 

12:10 p.m., Oct. 10, 2018. This post will be updated, so please check back.

 

With Hurricane Michael bearing down on the Florida coast, Best Buy continues to focus on the safety of our customers and employees. Teams from across the company are also planning for recovery in the storm’s aftermath.

Once it’s safe to go into affected areas, we have teams ready to help.

Here’s what we’re planning:

For communities

  • Supporting the state’s recovery assistance centers: These centers provide Florida residents with assistance with both recovery efforts and circumstances that arise because of displacement and other negative effects from the hurricane. 
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13 Sep: How Best Buy’s helping hurricane recovery

3:30 p.m. Sept. 26, 2018. This post will be updated, so please check back.

 

Hurricane Florence may be gone, but it left its impact on communities in the southeast U.S., Best Buy is now focused on long-term recovery in affected areas.

Here’s what we’re doing:

For communities

  • Partnering with the Salvation Army: We’ve provided tablets to the Salvation Army’s mobile “canteen” trucks, which deliver food and Wi-Fi connectivity to people. These tablets can be used to apply for federal disaster relief aid, contact loved ones and handle insurance claims.