Eastern Iowa Farmer Spring 2021

mother nature
repairs to get by until permanent work
could be done.
“It was a perfect storm in the middle of
a pandemic that created a real shortage of
resources,” Schmidt said,
“I hope I never see anything like it again
in my career, but I also know that when it
happens again, we will be ready. Many of
our employees were new to the industry in
the last five years. One employee asked if it
was always like this after a storm,” he said.
“Thankfully it’s not, but I also know this
experience not only shows us what we are
capable of as a team but what we need to
do to improve the process the next time.”
He’s looking in to a whole-building
generator, and the staff is discussing how
to streamline processes and handle more
claims if the need should ever arise.
Meanwhile, the company continues to
work with its clients on dealing with the
aftermath of the derecho, Schmidt said
“Being able to help people when there
is loss is why we exist, and we won’t stop
working until every claim is settled, and we
get everyone back on their feet,” he said. n
Marty
Murrell
Shown above, this
weather station transmits
information to a monitor in
Marty Murrell’s home.
Eastern Iowa Farmer
photos / Trevis Mayfield
Charlotte
From his rural Charlotte home, weather observer
Marty Murrell is one of the volunteers around the
state who provide information used for forecasts.
Here he poses on a 7-degree day with an instrument
that measures precipitation.
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Pictured left to right:
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Ryan Jones
Sarah Beuthien
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1129 Hwy. 30, Wheatland, Iowa
rpj@fbcom.net
90 Eastern Iowa Farmer | Spring 2021 eifarmer.com