

From crisis to community: How Thermo Fisher colleagues rallied after Hurricane Helene
As the severity of Hurricane Helene became apparent, Thermo Fisher activated its emergency response protocols. Using specialized technology, the company’s Global Security Operations Center (GSOC) was able to identify 953 colleagues who live in the affected area and begin contacting them using Thermo Fisher’s mass notification system.
Despite power outages that disrupted communications and cell service, the GSOC, in partnership with key company personnel on the ground, successfully accounted for nearly all colleagues within four days.
However, when it was determined that about 30 colleagues were still unaccounted, the Global Security team were dispatched to the Asheville area and check on the colleagues at their homes to confirm they were safe.
Nearly 400 miles away, colleagues from Asheville’s “sister site” in Marietta, Ohio, volunteered to help their fellow colleagues in the Asheville area by coordinating truckloads of donated supplies, including personal care items and water that were delivered to Asheville. The Millersburg, Pa., site quickly followed suit.
In the weeks following the devastation, members of the company’s Veterans Business Resource Group (BRG) provided support with recovery efforts by helping residents clean their houses from flood damage and make necessary repairs.
“When you're in trouble or have a need, you can always find someone to help you within Thermo Fisher,” said Toni Sweeney, vice president, Human Resources, for U.S. and Canada. "People are willing to give their time and expertise to help a sister site and all fellow colleagues."