Safavieh recognized for providing shelter for Superstorm Sandy work crews

Casual Living Staff -- Casual Living, 11/26/2012 2:03:34 PM

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. -- Rug and accent supplier Safavieh was recently recognized for accommodating Superstorm Sandy work crews at its offices following the storm.

In the initial aftermath of the storm, Safavieh principal Arash Yaraghi was contacted by Port Washington Mayor Robert Weitzner with an urgent request to help accommodate two work crews deployed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Yaraghi converted a section of office space at the company's 200,000-sq.-ft. facility for the workers, who otherwise would have been housed in a makeshift tent city in a local park, a press release said.

The workers were from Oklahoma and the Aerial Contractors of British Columbia, an electric utility power line contractor that deployed bucket trucks, digger derrick units and service mechanics in response to a FEMA call for aid.

"The FEMA workers who came to Port Washington had to sleep outside in tents in cold weather with no heat and insufficient toilet facilities," Yaraghi said. "When the mayor called to ask if we could house 16 in our building at 2 Channel Drive, I offered a part of our office space with restrooms, and my brother Michael, who runs our Safavieh Home Furnishings retail stores, provided beds, mattresses and pillows. The workers were very happy to be out of the cold."

"Given the intolerable living conditions that (Long Island Power Authority) provided for our hard-working crews, including Ariel Contractors from British Columbia, we were most fortunate and gratified that our commercial neighbors from Safavieh came to their assistance by providing a warm place to sleep, bedding and restrooms," Weitzner told the Port Washington Patch newspaper. "On behalf of the community, thank you Arash and Michael."