- FEMA and other federal agencies have favored big contractors for jobs related to cleanup and recovery from hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Nonetheless, small-business owners around the country have shown creativity and persistence in making themselves part of the solution. Here are five inspiring examples. --IAN MOUNT
SATELLITE PHONES
Bozeman, Mont.--Shortly before Katrina hit, Orbit One Communications (with annual sales of more than $5 million) sent 12 technicians to the region. Within days, Orbit One deployed 1,000 satellite phones, 10,000 satellite tracking devices, and gear to support 1,800 computers and 900 phone lines to FEMA and the military.
TOILETRIES
Scottsdale-DollarDays International, an online wholesaler of everything from diapers to soap, sent out an e-mail to remind nonprofit customers that its products are great for disaster relief. It also gave 10% of sales to the Red Cross. Good karma worked: Business with nonprofits rose 32%. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security even ordered 90 women's jogging suits.
GENERATORS
Elkhart, Ind.--Three days before the storm, Gillette Generators sent nine tractor-trailers holding 700 generators down to its Southern dealers. The shipment sold for about $3 million; the $14-million-a-year firm has since sent 300 more.
PORTABLE SHOWERS
Lancaster, Ohio--Porta Kleen signed up as a U.S. government supplier in 2004. After Katrina, the Coast Guard and others asked for 17 of the $2,500-a-week trucks designed by Porta Kleen to contain 16 private showers.
WATER PURIFIERS
Pennington, N.J.--At the encouragement of Representative Rush Holt (D-New Jersey), his constituent WorldWater & Power fitted its solar-powered water pump with a filtration system. Using an industry lobbyist to contact the Mississippi governor's office, the $6-million-a-year firm was able to place the $50,000 unit in Waveland, Miss., six weeks later. While it donated use of the first sun-powered machine (which can purify 15,000 gallons daily), it expects to sell at least ten others in the affected region.
FEMA and other federal agencies have favored big contractors for jobs related to cleanup and recovery from hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Nonetheless, small-business owners around the country have shown creativity and persistence in making themselves part of the solution. Here are five inspiring examples. --IAN MOUNT
SATELLITE PHONES
Bozeman, Mont.--Shortly before Katrina hit, Orbit One Communications (with annual sales of more than $5 million) sent 12 technicians to the region. Within days, Orbit One deployed 1,000 satellite phones, 10,000 satellite tracking devices, and gear to support 1,800 computers and 900 phone lines to FEMA and the military.
TOILETRIES
Scottsdale-DollarDays International, an online wholesaler of everything from diapers to soap, sent out an e-mail to remind nonprofit customers that its products are great for disaster relief. It also gave 10% of sales to the Red Cross. Good karma worked: Business with nonprofits rose 32%. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security even ordered 90 women's jogging suits.
GENERATORS
Elkhart, Ind.--Three days before the storm, Gillette Generators sent nine tractor-trailers holding 700 generators down to its Southern dealers. The shipment sold for about $3 million; the $14-million-a-year firm has since sent 300 more.
PORTABLE SHOWERS
Lancaster, Ohio--Porta Kleen signed up as a U.S. government supplier in 2004. After Katrina, the Coast Guard and others asked for 17 of the $2,500-a-week trucks designed by Porta Kleen to contain 16 private showers.
WATER PURIFIERS
Pennington, N.J.--At the encouragement of Representative Rush Holt (D-New Jersey), his constituent WorldWater & Power fitted its solar-powered water pump with a filtration system. Using an industry lobbyist to contact the Mississippi governor's office, the $6-million-a-year firm was able to place the $50,000 unit in Waveland, Miss., six weeks later. While it donated use of the first sun-powered machine (which can purify 15,000 gallons daily), it expects to sell at least ten others in the affected region. 
