Derecho 2020 - Prepared to Respond - Roofing Representatives

The year 2020 was one of the most challenging years in American history as the country struggled to navigate a global pandemic and keep supply chains open. Little did we know, our customers in Iowa and Nebraska would soon face another catastrophic event.

What is a Derecho?

A derecho is defined as a line of intense, widespread, and fast-moving storms that produce significant damage. Unlike tornados, the damage produced by these storms typically occurs in one direction, along a relatively straight path, and covers hundreds of miles.

Cedar Rapids, Iowa was hardest hit with peak winds estimated at 140 mph. These speeds are equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane. As a result, almost every structure within the 75 square miles of Cedar Rapids city limits were damaged. This included 20 schools and 1,000 inhabitable residences. As of April 2021, debris clean-up was still in progress… NOAA estimated damage at $7.5 billion which is higher than many hurricanes.

  • Blown off single-ply roof
  • Tree through school roof
  • Ice hockey arena
Damage photos from August 10th Derecho – Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Photo Credits: Jason Smith)

The Challenges

  1. Rapidly assess and install temporary roofs on 30+ buildings
  2. Conduct core cuts to determine reroofing needs including taper design, material supply and delivery
  3. Coordinate logistics of crew, distribution and material supply
  4. Complete all work in 3 months

The Solution

Our team descended on Cedar Rapids to get started. With unbridled hustle we went to work trying to put area buildings and schools back together. This included conducting 250 core cuts across 30 buildings, designing over 60 custom taper insulation drawings and distributing over 80 project binders to contractors.

“We worked through everything in 2020 as a team not just a vendor supplier relationship.  I have never been more happy to have a partner in the roofing game not only want to succeed but to help the contractor create miracles we didn’t know were possible.”

Tony Offerman – Branch Manager MacArthur Co. Cedar Rapids, IA

Unique Capabilities

Roofing Representatives has a vested interest in helping our architects, distributors and contractors succeed. That, coupled with our unique set of capabilities, allowed us to respond when it mattered most. We are fortunate to be able to offer these services everyday.

True Roof Rater

True Roof Rater – full assessment & non-intrusive moisture evaluations of existing roofing system with range of recommendations to support proactive maintenance and facility planning.

Specification & System Design

Specification & System Design – including job start up, progress inspections and up to 30 year warranties.

In-House Taper Design

In-House Taper Design – allows us to adjust taper plan based on budget and goals.

Warranted Contractor Network

Warranted Contractor Network – ongoing training, support and product innovations

Innovative Manufacturers

Innovative Manufacturers – our manufacturers innovate, adapt and execute.  The best products to get the job done today while innovating the products needed for tomorrow.

Extensive Distributor Network

Extensive Distributor Network –  products stocked and on-hand with established trucking network to deliver products to sites on-time.

To learn more about how we help you, visit our Contact Us page.