Horrific scenes of the fires in California are causing our friends and clients to worry about AMS! How are we doing? AMS is located on both coasts, and our West Coast headquarters and warehouses are located in Valencia, California. In this writing we will answer some well-being questions from our friends and readers.
Before we proceed, we would like readers to know that due to the heroic efforts of the Los Angeles firefighters, any fires that remain are not threatening us, and our people are doing well. The fires are behind us and either 100% snuffed out or soon will be.
CEO Responds Day 1
On day one AMS CEO, Jay Catlin, sent out a company-wide communication expressing his concern and support for employees in the face of the SoCal Fires and high winds. “I’m asking you all to prioritize your personal situation and consider your own circumstances and safety before choosing to head into work… if there is a mandatory evacuation or evacuation warning in your area, please take care of your personal situation and do not come into work. Everyone should know that their safety comes first and we respect your decisions to prioritize safety for yourselves and your families, even if there is not an evacuation warning in your area.”
His first concern was for the employees, and we appreciate him for that. We know that people across the country are rightfully focused on California, concerned about their friends and about the ones affected by the fires. Just the thought of such a loss is painful.
Our Well-Being
The fires started on January 7th, and the closest fire to our AMS facilities was the Hurst fire, approximately 15 miles away from the Valencia facilities. We did not experience unhealthy air at the facilities, we didn’t have any power outages and while there were some road closures, the major highways from the ports to AMS were open.
Thankfully, to this day, among our employees, there has been no loss of life and property. We have encouraged our employees to use the Employee Assistance Program for emotional support, well-being, and available resources. It’s free, and it can be very helpful.
One More Fire
As our friends, clients and employees know, on January 21st another fire broke out in a location near the Hurst fire and this one, called the Hughes fire, came close enough for us to be asked to evacuate the facilities. This time we did experience smoke in the air. How did we respond? Below we have a message and a photo from George Romano, Facilities Director, to the executive team:
“I wanted to share this picture with you and the team. I think the picture demonstrates the saying, “Most people run from danger, but the real heroes run towards the danger”.
“During the evacuation on Wednesday, while everyone in the area was heading home to their families, Matthew Warholy, Brian Nicholas, and Carlos Rubio remained at work to assist me with setting up our other back-up generator at HQ.
“The generator that is at HQ (what timing) had the coolant sensor fail and would not allow the generator to start. As a precautionary measure, we brought the other generator down from Witherspoon and wired it into the HQ warehouse, ensuring that if power was shut down, it would not affect AMS’ operations. This could not have been possible without these three guys giving it their all.
“It is an honor to be able to work beside such dedicated employees as Matthew, Brian, and Carlos.
George
That message was followed by the message below, sent by Keith Echegaray, VP of Process Improvement:
“Hey All,
“Just confirming here. WIT is evacuated and locked. @Matthew Warholy please remotely arm. WIL is evacuated armed and locked. LIV is evacuated and Greg B is going to be arming. HQ is evacuated and @Matthew Warholy will be arming.”
Evacuation Lifted
Within a few hours the evacuation was lifted, and the facilities were opened again. As readers can see, AMS employees handled our response very well during this time of crisis and loss for so many. We offer sincere thanks to our employees and our management team.
The fire has been contained and people in the area who were asked to evacuate have been able to return. Thankfully, through it all AMS employees have experienced no loss of life or property from the fires, including this most recent one.
Getting Involved – Helping
One of AMS’ valued Clients has donated over 8,500 units of inventory to a local LA Organization supporting those affected by the fires. AMS employees are coming together to fundraise through our annual V-Day Employee Cookie Drive, where 100% of proceeds will go towards “Direct Relief”, whose mission is to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergency situations.
We are grateful to be able to join with others in helping those who have experienced loss. We are thankful for our clients and employees whose spirit is to donate and volunteer to help those who are suffering the loss of their homes and property. The fires have been devastating and the losses have affected us all. And we are grateful that our Headquarters and warehouses have been spared. AMS is committed to the environment as a stakeholder in our business, and we will continue with our work to combat climate change and its effects.
AMS & Environmental Concerns
We often speak about the fact that AMS considers the environment a stakeholder in our business decisions. Addressing environmental issues is a critical responsibility for companies in today’s world and AMS takes this responsibility seriously. Companies can address environmental issues through various strategies and initiatives that prioritize environmental sustainability, promote responsible practices, and drive positive change. But how does AMS address environmental issues?
One essential approach is to conduct environmental impact assessments. These assessments help companies understand the specific environmental effects of their operations, products, and services. By identifying and evaluating their environmental impact, businesses lower negative effects and optimize resource use. AMS is in the process of foregoing our first 4-Pillar SMETA audit. Additionally, AMS has been measuring, offsetting, and reducing our emissions since 2023.
Another key aspect is implementing effective waste management strategies. AMS has adopted recycling programs, reducing packaging waste, and encouraging the reuse of materials.
Thank you, friends, clients and readers for your concerns for AMS and our valued employees. We are doing well during this crisis, and grateful that we can help others.
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AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation, dedicated to People and Planet before Profit. We work to B the Change we wish to see in the world.
