Day 50
October 18, 2020
Day 52
October 20, 2020
125 STORIES IN 125 DAYS
The Great Flood of 2003
For me July 11, 2003 started off pretty much like any other workday. My alarm/radio awaked me at 5:45 am, and I got up and walked across the room to hit the snooze alarm button. Nine minutes later when the alarm sounded for a second time, I climbed out of bed and headed for the shower. So far the day was pretty much like most weekdays. That was soon to change as Comporium IT employees all over Rock Hill, SC began to received phone calls from their managers. We were told that around 5:00 am a pipe in the ceiling over our department in Tech Park had ruptured and flooded our area with about 5 inches of water. We were to wear shorts or other suitable clothing and report to work as soon as possible. When we arrived we worked with the maintenance crews, given brooms to help push the water out of the building or instructed to help get more computers and other salvageable equipment to other parts of the building. Carpet had to be ripped up, cubicles taken down and huge fans were set up to help dry-out the floor and walls. It was a big undertaking.
A command center was set up in the largest conference room in the building, computers were set up and before the day was over we were back in business. Over, the next several months the staff from the IT department were relocated all over the Tech Park building. Some of us were set up in Engineering, some in Computer Systems, some in HRD and many in Conference Room D and other conference rooms. We were welcomed by our co-workers from other departments even though we often made things cramped for them.
On September 5, 2003, the repairs completed, our department threw a big “Thank You” party and hosted the approximate 200 workers in our building for cookout lunch. Tables were set up in the dock area and the warehouse. We were very thankful to everyone else for welcoming us to our temporary work quarters, but very, very glad to be back “home” in IT. The whole ordeal helped us see that at Comporium, we were just one big happy family, pulling together in a crisis.
Melinda Niday
1994-2019
For me July 11, 2003 started off pretty much like any other workday. My alarm/radio awaked me at 5:45 am, and I got up and walked across the room to hit the snooze alarm button. Nine minutes later when the alarm sounded for a second time, I climbed out of bed and headed for the shower. So far the day was pretty much like most weekdays. That was soon to change as Comporium IT employees all over Rock Hill, SC began to received phone calls from their managers. We were told that around 5:00 am a pipe in the ceiling over our department in Tech Park had ruptured and flooded our area with about 5 inches of water. We were to wear shorts or other suitable clothing and report to work as soon as possible. When we arrived we worked with the maintenance crews, given brooms to help push the water out of the building or instructed to help get more computers and other salvageable equipment to other parts of the building. Carpet had to be ripped up, cubicles taken down and huge fans were set up to help dry-out the floor and walls. It was a big undertaking.
A command center was set up in the largest conference room in the building, computers were set up and before the day was over we were back in business. Over, the next several months the staff from the IT department were relocated all over the Tech Park building. Some of us were set up in Engineering, some in Computer Systems, some in HRD and many in Conference Room D and other conference rooms. We were welcomed by our co-workers from other departments even though we often made things cramped for them.
On September 5, 2003, the repairs completed, our department threw a big “Thank You” party and hosted the approximate 200 workers in our building for cookout lunch. Tables were set up in the dock area and the warehouse. We were very thankful to everyone else for welcoming us to our temporary work quarters, but very, very glad to be back “home” in IT. The whole ordeal helped us see that at Comporium, we were just one big happy family, pulling together in a crisis.
Melinda Niday
1994-2019
