5 essential supplies to help restore communities

The aftermath of a severe weather event can leave widespread destruction. The National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) report that, in 2024 alone, 27 confirmed weather/climate disaster events impacted the U.S. — including one drought, one flood, 17 severe storms, five hurricanes, one wildfire, and two winter storms — with losses exceeding $1 billion each.

Source: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/billions/

These costs include physical damage to residential, commercial, and municipal buildings, material assets, and more. Even with home insurance, Leafhome reports that 60% of homeowners in 2024 faced significant out-of-pocket expenses for extreme weather damage, with many paying thousands of dollars. 

Every year, on the last Saturday in April, volunteers come together to acknowledge National Rebuilding Day as part of a month-long community effort to support residents in need. City Electric Supply (CES) branches often donate time, energy, and essential supplies to help renovate, restore, and rebuild homes impacted by severe weather events. Below are five essential supplies needed to rebuild, and how some of our branches utilize them during their volunteer efforts. 

1. Cable & wire

Often, one of the first things damaged during a severe weather event is power lines. In the fall of 2024, Hurricane Helene swept through the Southeast region of the U.S., causing widespread destruction in the local community of Augusta, Georgia. Many residents were without power for up to a month due to extreme winds, fallen trees, and heavy rain. 

CES Augusta Downtown partnered with Southwire and other long-time vendors to help provide and deliver critical electrical supplies overnight, including SER and SEU service wire pallets, SOOW, and XHHW. 

• Service entrance cables (SER and SEU) connect and distribute electrical currents above ground from a main source — a utility facility — to the main electrical panel of a building or residence.
• SOOWs, which stands for Service Cord, Oil-resistant insulation, Oil-resistant outer jacket, and Weather/Water-resistant, are durable and flexible cables that can temporarily power portable applications. Although typically used in industrial and commercial facilities, SOOWs can serve as a short-term power source for battery chargers, appliances, lighting, tools, and more in residential areas.
• XHHW (Cross-Linked Polyethylene High Heat-Resistant) wire, commonly known as XHHW-2, is typically used for power distribution in the hazardous and demanding environments that severe weather often brings. XHHW-2 wire is well-suited for demanding applications due to its high-quality, thermoset cross-linked polyethylene jacket that provides a higher voltage capacity of up to 1,000V, flame resistance, and temperature and water resistance of 90°C in wet and dry locations.

2. Weatherheads

Another branch in the CES Augusta District, CES Aiken, pitched in to help repair damages from Hurricane Helene; teaming up with long-time vendor Topaz, the branch made arrangements to ship and supply weatherheads overnight.

Weatherheads, also known as service entrance caps, are waterproof hoods that protect service wires near the entry point of a building or residence to prevent water from contacting the connection point of the wire. Although wires are usually coated to withstand harsh conditions, there’s still a risk of dangerous electrical activity without a functioning weatherhead.

Source: PPL Electric Utilities

3. Generators (standby & portable) 

As mentioned, one of the first things most people experience during a severe storm is power outages from damaged power lines. That’s why it’s crucial to have your own backup power source before, during, and after a severe weather event. Standby and portable generators are great options to power everything from small appliances to full-size square unit spaces (i.e., buildings and houses). 

Three branches, CES Pasadena, CES Houston Northwest, and CES Katy, helped storm preparation efforts before Hurricane Laura by delivering over 40 portable generators to Orange, Texas, for local homeowners. 

“It all happened last minute,” said Branch Manager Grant Price. “We talked about it the same day that the storms and hurricane were going to hit. It was better to get the generators there before everything happened.”

And after Hurricane Beryl hit Houston, Texas, a member of the CES Mansfield team drove 16 hours to deliver standby generators to a businessman who needed power for three jobsites.  

“I do deliveries like this all the time,” said Outside Salesman Cameron Dawson. “I’ve always been the kind of person who will be there when someone needs something, no matter what. It’s all about taking care of your customers.”

4. Cleaning supplies

Community revitalization, restoration, and rebuilding efforts are not complete without cleaning supplies. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shares that storms often bring in water that could be contaminated by chemicals, bacteria, hazardous waste, physical debris, and more. Proper disinfection is essential to the recovery effort and the health of community members after a devastating event. 

A CES Morehead City team member helped deliver bleach, cleaning supplies, hand soap, and more from a local charity to a community in Swansboro, North Carolina after tornadoes from Hurricane Isais. 

“Helping people who need help — just real people helping real people — is a good feeling,” reflected Outside Sales Rep Doug Davis. “Tornadoes just tear everything to pieces. When people step in to help, it changes everything.”

5. Disaster relief aid 

Our final list item won’t be found on a branch shelf, but it’s certainly a resource CES always has in stock — donations. CES Cares, the social impact division of CES, has partnered with the American Red Cross for nearly 10 years to help our teams, their families, and surrounding communities across the country with disaster relief during times of great need.  So far, CES has donated $500,000 to the American Red Cross for disaster relief aid. 

 “City Electric Supply is a great partner of the American Red Cross, having supported multiple disaster relief operations since 2017,” said American Red Cross Pacific Division Vice President Keith Rhodes. “The support we have received from CES has helped the Red Cross provide assistance to hundreds of families impacted by disaster. We are thankful for the generous donations from City Electric Supply and their ongoing support of the humanitarian mission of the Red Cross.”

In addition to the partnership with the American Red Cross, CES Cares has its own program to help CES team members. With the CES Cares Disaster Relief Fund, we’re able to help team members who face financial hardship immediately after a natural disaster or an unforeseen personal hardship.

To explore more essential supplies and prepare for storm season, visit cityelectricsupply.com.