PEARL, MS - Disaster response has been a full-time effort for many state employees and volunteers in Mississippi recently as a series of natural disasters have plagued the state. Rising waters of the Mississippi River and its tributaries flooded numerous towns and vast areas of farmland as the river reached historic levels. In addition to major flooding, a record number of deadly tornadoes have torn through the southeast in recent weeks, leaving a path of destruction in several Mississippi towns.

In times like these, communities must pull together. Although it can be difficult for businesses to discern just how to help while continuing to operate at full-capacity, an auto auction in Mississippi found its niche. Its central location just outside the capital city made the Mid-South Auction a perfect place for staging disaster response start-up operations.

“When we learned that Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) needed a large lot from which to deploy responders, we knew we were a perfect fit,” said Bob Sullivan, general manager of Mid-South Auction in Pearl.

Normally the state would use the lots at the Mississippi Fire Academy located nearby, but with a week-long class in session, the lots at the training facility were full. In a letter of appreciation to the auction, Mike Womack Executive Director of MEMA credited the effectiveness of the start-up operations in part to having a large staging area readily available in close proximity to the capital city.

“With 48-acres of asphalt on-site, we were able to provide an area large enough for both MEMA and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to stage their operations, and still have plenty of room for employee parking and holding consigned vehicles,” said Sullivan. “It was an ideal way for us to help.

Mid-South Auction’s best-in-class facility is located in Jackson, Mississippi, just one mile from Jackson-Evers International Airport. Mid-South conducts Dealer Sales every Tuesday at 9:00 AM, and Government Vehicle Sales on the first Thursday of each month. A member of the American Auto Auction Group, Mid-South provides corporate-powered, independent service to its customers.

American Auto Auction Group is headed by industry veterans Steve Simon and Keith Lelux. Building on a network of independent auctions throughout the country, AAAG provides a viable alternative for vehicle sellers who require national sales coverage. In addition to operating Mid-South Auction, the American Auto Auction Group operates Charleston Auto Auction in Charleston, S.C. and Texas Lone Start Auto Auction in Carrollton, Texas.

For additional information about American Auto Auction Group please call 843-579-AUTO or visit americanautoauctiongroup.com.