How Palm Harbor Homes Survived Hurricane Andrew

HOW PALM HARBOR HOMES SURVIVED HURRICANE ANDREW.

urricane Andrew was truly as aluminum carports and Florida Ha monstrous storm. Blasting rooms were torn away. The ninth South Florida with gusts of more than home‘s sidewall was partially 175 miles an hour and spawning collapsed by a neighbor‘s ﬂying tornadoes of even greater ferocity, it refrigerator, and the tenth was left a path of indescribable destruction. destroyed by a direct tornado hit. Andrew’s full force hit Gateway No other manufactured homes West community in Florida City, weathered the storm as well. And, leaving the 124-lot neighborhood while we‘re thankful that such disasters in ruins. But there were a are rare, we are also few exceptions. “I was very unhappy proud that our home- Of the community’s ten with the way my owners had this extra Palm Harbor homes, eight (national brand) fell apart measure of security. came through with damage in the storm. Since the As one resident put Palm Harbors in our com- no more serious than it, ”Look around our munity survived unbeliev- broken windows and lost ably well, my replacement community. It‘s obvious shingles and lap siding. The home will there is no comparison shingles and siding came be a Palm Harbor.” between Palm Harbor loose when additions, such Bill Mallette and the other homes.“

Andrew August 1992

Hurricane

Palm Harbor home of Art and Donna Fowler survived incredibly well.

YOU EXPECT A HOME CONSTRUCTED TO THE HIGHEST THE MORE YOU KNOW, THE BETTER YOU'LL FEEL. STANDARDS IN THE INDUSTRY. PALM HARBOR DELIVERS. How many homes did Hurri- was at ”ground zero“ and was virtually major natural disaster is the high as Palm Harbor‘s. cane Andrew destroy in South ﬂattened. (Bear in mind that the storm Asupreme test of a manufactured Our engineering, Florida? Some 85,000 residences – and its tornadoes were powerful home‘s quality, and many materials and including individual homes, enough to collapse of the homes destroyed workmanship condominiums and apart- reinforced concrete “I would not own any other by Hurricane Andrew are the best in the ments – had to be replaced. “I can’t believe how well bunkers at nearby brand home than Palm were built before HUD business. When you Only 4,500 of these were the Palm Harbor homes in Homestead Air Harbor. Our neighbors Gateway West survived regulations toughened who owned other brands know how our homes manufactured homes. Force Base.) the requirements for such are built, you‘ll under- Hurricane Andrew while had their homes destroyed, my (national brand) was construction. But no stand why they stood up How badly was the Why did Palm and they will be switching completely destroyed. government agency – so well to the storm...and Gateway West com- Harbor homes to Palm Harbors because That’s why I bought a weather the storm or other manufacturer, of the way the Palm why they stand apart munity damaged? Palm Harbor.” for that matter – has ever Harbors held up.” from all other manufac- Located in South Dade so well? In a nutshell, Evelyn Wrasse adopted standards as Art and Donna Fowler tured homes. County, the neighborhood they‘re better built.

Palm Harbor August 2004 home Hurricane Charley

Competing Brand

“CHARLEY WAS THE SECOND -WORST HURRICANE IN • In Punta Gorda, just two days after the storm, Federal Emergen- U.S. HISTORY.” - Insurance Information Institute cy Management Agency director Hurricane Charley: Its worst brings out Palm Harbor’s best! Michael Brown said that 11,000 people had already applied for Hurricane Charley Press disaster aid. Reports - August 13, 2004 • On August 16, 2004, USA • With nearly 2 million tourists Today reported that authorities estimated Charley caused as and residents evacuated along Norm and Betty Bunn Florida’s west coast, Hurricane much as $11 billion in damage. “When we returned to our communi- Charley made landfall in Punta Yet, with all this devastation, success ty after Hurricane Charley, we were Gorda at 3:45pm. stories about the incredible survival pleasantly surprised. Even though our • Maximum sustained winds were rate of Palm Harbor homes began community was devastated, our Palm 145 mph with gusts even higher. circulating as homeowners directly Harbor home withstood the hurricane Hurricane force winds extended in Charley’s path happily shared and is in perfect shape. It was just a outward up to 25 miles from the • Hurricane Charley was an equal their experiences of returning to delight. The neighbors came by and center, tropical storm force winds opportunity offender. Commercial undamaged Palm Harbor homes said, ‘What did you do right?’ We extended up to 85 miles and feeder buildings, site-built and manufactur- standing in the midst of Charley’s told them, ‘I think we chose the right bands extended up to 225 miles. ed homes all felt Charley’s wrath. total destruction. home ... a Palm Harbor home.’” Tom and Carol Trakas “Before we purchased our Palm Harbor home we con- ducted a little research. It seemed to be better built than the competition. It was supposed to withstand 130 mph winds, but it withstood far more than that. I just can’t say enough good things about our home, how it was built and how it reacted to Hurricane Charley.”

Bob and Carol Clements “Our Palm Harbor Wellington model went through Hurricane Charley with winds of about 160 W e are proud that every mph and the house stood up beauti- Palm Harbor home built fully. It’s solid, beautiful construction, to the tough wind code and even better than they said it standard stood up to the would be.” hurricanes. Every one!

Bill and Joan Cox Richard and Judy Selle “We were in Budapest when our Palm “A Palm Harbor home is the top of Harbor home was hit by Hurricane the line in manufactured homes. They Charley. When we got back we pay particular attention to any part found our home in ﬁne shape. We’re of the structure that might be dam- living just like we did before we left. aged in a storm. I would deﬁnitely invest in another Palm Harbor home. “We have friends that bought a home They came out after the storm and in Punta Gorda Isles. It’s a cement investigated some of their engineer- block stucco site-built home and they ing and said they’re going to go sustained quite a bit of damage. back and make them even better. So They told me just a day or so ago the fact that the home stood up and that they wished they would’ve pur- is going to be better yet, I guess Palm chased a home here. Unfortunately Harbor is the only home to buy.” they didn’t do so.” MORE PROOF OUR HOMES ARE BETTER BUILT.

PALM HARBOR HOMES, THE MOST RESPECTED NAME IN HOMEBUILDING.

e believe it is important Wto build a home like a company, strong enough to survive the worst possible storms and earthquakes. And we’re reminded, once again, that there's no such thing as too much effort when quality and integrity are at stake. We’re proud that our homes weathered storms and earthquakes so well...and are more determined than ever to keep Palm Harbor the most respected and trusted name in homebuilding.

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