Update on Puerto Rico Relief Efforts

Hurricane Maria made direct landfall on Puerto Rico on September 20th, bringing down feet of torrential rain. It devastated the island and the 3.4 million US citizens who live there. When Maria hit, 60,000 people were already without power following Hurricane Irma, exacerbating the dire conditions that much more.

Maria was the strongest storm to hit Puerto Rico in 80 years. Now, nearly a month later, much of the island is still without electricity. Clean drinking water and food is scarce. Cell service is down, so many people in the states have not been able to speak to their family and friends on the island for weeks.

PTR representatives, Carlos Gonzalez and Enrique Diaz, have been delivering food and water to the rural areas of Puerto Rico. The food is being prepared and distributed from a local arena. The duo have teamed up with other companies in the area to help with relief efforts as well. Currently, there are about 20,000 people in shelters, and even more are living in the rural areas without any shelter at all.

PTR’s CEO Mike Savage offered the following message:“I want to thank Carlos Gonzalez and Enrique Diaz for their hard work and sacrifice in traveling to Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, and St. Croix over the last few weeks helping our customers in those ravaged islands get back on their feet. They have been away from their families doing so much great work on behalf of PTR and we are all very grateful. They went the extra mile over the last two weekends and delivered water and food to towns that are more remote and in dire need of help…Thank you, Carlos and Enrique, for making us so proud!”

PTR Baler & Company is proud to have people like Carlos Gonzalez and Enrique Diaz on our team. We thank them tremendously for all of their efforts. If you are interested in learning ways you can help with Puerto Rico relief, visit one of the sites listed below.

PTR’s CEO Joins Forces with Home Depot Foundation in West Virginia

Last week, PTR’s CEO Mike Savage joined forces with The Home Depot Foundation in West Virginia for their ‘Building Services and Store Operations Foundation’ fundraising event. This successful endeavor raised an incredible $3.8 million for the foundation.

The Home Depot Foundation works to improve the lives of our country’s veterans and their families, as well as to provide support and aid to cities hit by natural disasters. The foundation’s ‘Celebration of Service’ season takes place annually from September 7th through Veteran’s Day. Helping American communities, and the citizens who have sacrificed so much to protect us, is something PTR as a company is extremely passionate about.

PTR’s CEO, Mike Savage, personally visited Hope Village in West Virginia. With the help of many of volunteers, they built the framing for new homes and began the revitalization of Mylan Park, the neighborhood park. In a matter of days, the team was able to nearly complete these houses. In 2016, a devastating flash flood hit the state of West Virginia. Torrential rains resulted in horrific damage and destroyed over 1,200 homes. Now, residents of these newly built homes will be able to move in and start anew.

The Home Depot Foundation is a organization consisting of 400,000 associate volunteers. It was created to help our honored veterans, and those affected by flooding, hurricanes and other natural disasters. Volunteers build homes, install ramps or do other household or facility improvements.

PTR is proud to have taken part is such a wonderful event and work with this amazing organization. Since 2011, with the support of The Home Depot Foundation has been able to:

Over 33,000 U.S. military veteran homes and facilities has been improved.

• More than $198 million has been given to veteran-related causes.

• 2,000 cities across the country have been improved.

The foundation has also currently increased their disaster relief commitment for Hurricane Maria from $2 million to $3 million. To learn more about The Home Depot Foundation and to find out how you can help, click here.

PTR Cart Tippers: For Added Safety & Efficiency

PTR Baler & Compactor Company Cart tippers are a smart, logical addition to your waste equipment. They significantly reduce the time it takes to transfer waste from your collection cart to your waste compactor, dumpster or collection container. A variety of models are available to suit every market’s varying needs. Whether you’ll be transporting small or large loads, PTR Cart Dumpers will prove to be a valuable asset to your business. For example, the PTR Economy 3069 Series MT is designed to lift a max load of 400 lb., while our Hydraulic Cart Tipper is rated for 4,000 lb. max load. See many of our cart dump systems by clicking here.

Cart dumpers or tippers increase employee safety. Employees who are primarily responsible for lifting waste are inevitably at risk for injury. Consider these surprising statistics from a recent study by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “In the US, back disorders account for over 24% of all occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work.” Additionally, “US workers who suffered ergonomic injuries required an average of 12 days to recuperate before returning to work.” (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) You can help avoid work related back injuries by utilizing a PTR Cart Dumper. If employee safety is a top priority for your company, investing in a PTR Cart Dumper or Tipper is essential. Not to mention, back strain or more serious back injuries are a drain on money, time and productivity.

Like all PTR Baler & Compactor equipment, our cart tippers and commercial lifters help keep debris and waste off of critical floorspace. Keeping floorspace clear not only helps keep up the appearance of your facility, but it also makes a safer workspace for employees.

PTR Cart Tippers are completely customizable to suit your business’s individual needs, throughout a number of various markets, including but not limited to:

Retail Chains

Distribution Centers

Property Management Companies

Government Institutions

Educational Facilities

Plenty of other industries would find these commercial lifters extremely useful and beneficial to their employees. All models are very simple to install, and our technicians will show you and your staff how to properly use PTR equipment.

A PTR cart tipper is the smart, economical choice. By preventing injuries, you’ll be preventing bottlenecks in your operation. This equipment helps protect employees as well as the business itself. Want to learn more? Our customer service representatives are available to answer any of your questions. Click here to contact us today.

Source:

“Nonfatal Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Requiring Days Away From Work, 2015.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 10 Nov. 2016, www.bls.gov/news.release/osh2.nr0.htm