AC repair inBrunswick, GA

Editor’s note: This article was submitted by Louise Blais and Guy Tessler, consultants at The Pendleton Group, and published as part of the firm’s annual partnership with Global Atlanta.

Historically, the provinces of Ontario and Quebec have dominated Georgia’s trade relationships with Canada. But the eastern province of New Brunswick is quickly becoming a go-to partner for Southern U.S. companies. This is the direct result of investments made by the New Brunswick government through its economic development agency to help companies in multiple sectors focus on Georgia and the Southeast United States.

Opportunities New Brunswick (ONB) is focusing on the Southeast as a target market and, with The Pendleton Group’s help, is scheduling programs to introduce New Brunswick (NB) companies to regional partners, including in Atlanta.

As a member of the SEUS-CP alliance of Eastern Canadian provinces and Southeast U.S. states founded in 2007 under the leadership of then Governor Sonny Perdue and then-Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Craig Lesser, the team at ONB was already familiar with the region. Yet, it was during the first post-pandemic gathering of the alliance in 2022 in Savannah, Ga., that the New Brunswick team was struck by the rapid economic growth of the state.

Just as Atlanta has been developing various innovation industry clusters, New Brunswick is rapidly building a solid infrastructure around digital health, advanced manufacturing, agritech, cybersecurity, energy innovation and information and communications technology (ICT). The province is developing a reputation for its expertise in these and related industries, such as artificial intelligence, data analytics and more.

Recognizing the complementarity and immense economic potential of a stronger partnership with one of the fastest-growing regions in North America, ONB identified the Southeast as a top priority and enlisted the assistance of the Pendleton Group to connect NB companies with Georgian enterprises.

Connecting New Brunswick and the Southeast U.S.

New Brunswick exported more than $166 million in goods and services to Georgia in 2022. The small Canadian province that shares a border with Maine is home to a mix of global brands like J.D. Irving Ltd. and McCain Foods Ltd. and has a thriving startup culture with access to low-cost manufacturing facilities and top talent.

The province’s smaller size is an asset that facilitates a close-knit, connected and agile community that helps businesses grow.

ONB, along with its federal and Atlantic Canadian partners, recently brought a cohort of high-growth ICT companies to Atlanta for the “Scale-up Hub Atlanta” program.

One New Brunswick company that participated in Scale-up Hub Atlanta in June, VeroSource Solutions Inc., is pursuing partnerships in the Atlanta area with the help of ONB and Pendleton.

VeroSource, which means “source of truth,” is a digital health company offering cloud-based solutions that give users access to their healthcare information, including medications, lab tests, exam records and diagnostics, as well as enabling healthcare data analytics. Beginning with a staff of eight, the company grew to 45 employees during the pandemic, as its success with moving data rapidly and securely increased exponentially.

VeroSource intends to expand its sales into the U.S., according to CEO Mark McAllister. He thinks Atlanta could be a great jumping-off point for the U.S. market because of the city’s advanced hospital and university networks, which he likened to NB’s networks that produce world-class talent in the healthcare technology space.

While in Atlanta, VeroSource toured the ATDC incubator at the Georgia Institute of Technology and saw synergies with multiple Georgia companies. “We got excellent feedback. We met a lot of people who were willing to talk and engage,” Mr. McAllister said.

He noted the same community-building spirit of cooperation, rather than competition, exists in Atlanta as in New Brunswick.

“VeroSource has fantastic products, but we can’t sell them with just billboards; we have to get connected in Atlanta’s ecosystem. When we visited, we felt welcomed and met decision-makers who seemed genuinely interested in building relationships with us,” Mr. McAllister said.

VeroSource will return to Atlanta in September to follow up with the companies they met in June. They will be available for additional meetings with other potential Georgia partners.

Building on this success, the agency is planning several upcoming events that will enable New Brunswick companies to further explore business opportunities in Atlanta:

Business cultures in the Southeast and New Brunswick are well aligned. Both regions value relationships and appreciate the art of developing connections. For ONB, the key to success is staying the course over the long term.

“By fostering stronger linkages between New Brunswick and Atlanta, we believe both jurisdictions will benefit,” said Steve Milbury, VP Business Development, ONB. “The capabilities of New Brunswick companies are second to none, and we are confident that our partners in Atlanta will soon recognize that.”

Efforts to make the previously little-known New Brunswick a brand of innovative excellence and top-of-mind for local companies are gaining momentum. In fact, the rest of Canada has recently taken note, and New Brunswick is now home to the single fastest-growing city in the country, Moncton. By presenting the friendly business culture and unique potential of the region to Georgia partners, New Brunswick has become a place to pay attention to.

To schedule a meeting with VeroSource or other New Brunswick companies, contact Pendleton at gtessler@pendletonatlanta.com.

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BRUNSWICK, Ga. – Brunswick City and Glynn County fire departments said the massive fire at the Pinova Plant is finally out after reigniting around 3 p.m. Saturday.

The shelter-in-place and evacuation order has also been lifted.

The latest update came around 10:08 p.m.

Brunswick Mayor Cosby Johnson had issued the shelter in place order during a briefing at the Mobile Command Center around 8:30 p.m.

“I named a local declaration of emergency being declared for the city of Brunswick because we did not know the extent to which we could contain this fire,” Johnson said. “We could not foresee where the wind would be moving. We thought it would be best for us to talk to our entire city and not just one singular piece of it.”

Watch the full news conference below.

Earlier, Johnson also recommended voluntary evacuations for residents staying within at least a 1/2 mile of the plant while urging others to adhere to the shelter-in-place order.

“We understand that is something difficult to do, but we are asking you to commit to not only keeping us safe but keeping other citizens safe and keeping your family safe,” Johnson said.

At 10:08 p.m., the Glynn County Board of Commissioners tweeted out a message saying the fire was out and that crews will be deploying foam for the next hour.

“The goal at this time was to set up a foam operation around the incident. The last report I have is that the flames are contained and under control due to the foam operations, and we’re going to continue those operations until the scene is completely controlled,” officials said.

The cause of the fire is still unknown at this time.

Just before 3:30 p.m., Glynn County officials ordered a shelter-in-place for residents living on St. Simons Island and north of the St. Simons Island Airport along a one-mile radius of the plant due to wind conditions.

The shelter-in-place is active until further notice.

??????????????Alert: Due to wind conditions - a Shelter in Place has been advised for SSI areas north of airport on SSI along with 1/2 mile radius of plantThe Pinova Plant Fire has reignited.Brunswick City Fire Department and Glynn County Fire are on scene.

— Glynn County Georgia (@GlynnCountyGA) April 15, 2023

According to Glynn County Director of Communications Katie Baasen, the fire started around 7 a.m. Officials said it was cleared and contained just before 10 a.m. Around 3 p.m., the flames reignited.

There are still no injuries reported.

Since there are several structures that are on fire, it’s unclear how long it will take crews to extinguish it.

Brunswick and Glynn counties fire crews are bringing in additional crews from Wayne, Chatham and Camden counties to assist in fighting the blaze. Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department also arrived to help around 6 p.m.

The Georgia Forestry Commission is also doing airdrops on the site to combat the blaze.

This second fire in five months to erupt at a Brunswick plant. In November, an industrial fire sparked multiple explosions at a chemical plant.

Federal officials said air quality was tested, results show it is safe for public

BRUNSWICK, Ga. – After a massive fire at the Pinova chemical plant that burned for hours Saturday, Brunswick officials said they plan to meet with representatives from the company to talk about what comes next -- and about future inspections.

Three operatives from the Georgia State Fire Marshal’s office were at the plant most of the day Sunday looking into the extent of the damage and the origin of the fire, but there’s still no definitive cause of the blaze.

The fire started Saturday around 7 a.m. Officials said it was contained around 10 a.m., then it reignited around 3 p.m. that afternoon. The response was massive and included 13 different fire and emergency management agencies, three law enforcement agencies to help with traffic and logistical support, and Georgia Forestry, which air-dropped fire suppressant over the site. Ron Kurtz, senior director of operations at Pinova, said in a statement Sunday, that it took responders 90 minutes to get the initial fire under control and thanked crews for their “coordinated approach” after the fire reignited.

Though the fire is out, Brunswick Mayor Crosby Johnson said there’s more work that needs to be done to reduce future risk.

“Pinova sits on a corridor that is very close to our marshlands so that water runoff from putting foam, putting water chemicals not only stored in the structure but also the structure itself would be running into city waterways but also into very delicate areas close to our marsh,” Johnson said.

Johnson said he and city commissioners plan to meet with Pinova officials soon.

“There are a lot of questions that we have posed to Pinova. There is a lot of mitigation that we are doing as a city, individually,” Johnson said. “We are going to insure that those responsible for the fire are at the table for the fire that happened at their company.”

Glynn County officials said in a Sunday release that crews continued to “maintain the scene and spray the area as a precautionary measure.”

The massive fire caused voluntary evacuation orders for some residents who were within a 1/2 mile radius of the plant – and a shelter-in-place order for the entire town Saturday.

At a Saturday night news conference, a firefighter said the crews gained control of the fire by setting up a foam operation, and by 10 p.m., they announced that the fire was successfully extinguished and all evacuation and shelter-in-place orders were lifted.

The city of Brunswick had also issued a State of Emergency, which was lifted Sunday morning.

The release said the Environmental Protection Agency distributed seven monitors at various locations around the perimeter of the plant to test and monitor air quality overnight following the blaze.

According to officials, no levels were registered to call for public safety concerns and wind shifts helped move the smoke plume and keep it from settling in the area.

Claudia lives in Brunswick and believes there has been something wrong with the air for years.

Claudia said she’s spoken out about the issue but hasn’t received any help.

“I have made many reports, and I found out that I am not alone. A lot of people have made complaints, over 200,” she said.

For now, Johnson believes making sure there are the right public and environmental regulations in place could make a difference moving forward.

“I think that’s a fight we have to take on whether we get the help or not, and unfortunately, over time, what we have seen is many private companies misuse our environmental resources but also misuse our most important resource, which is the health and safety of our people,” Johnsons said. “At some point and time, those companies have to be brought to the table to not just answer to the problems when they are caught.”

Brunswick City Fire crews are working with the Georgia Fire Marshal to begin an inspection of the Pinova plant, according to Glynn County officials.

The Glynn County Board of Commissioners initially reported Saturday that there were no injuries, but the release said two people suffered minor burns during the incident and were treated by paramedics onsite.

Kurtz said no employees were injured as well as all workers were evacuated to safe areas when the fire began.

Multiple law enforcement agencies also facilitated traffic as evacuations and shelter-in-place orders were called. They also provided emergency vehicle escorts and patrols for safety.

The Red Cross set up a shelter at Howard Coffin Park for evacuees, where 29 Glynn County residents signed in at the shelter and 16 stayed the entire night, according to the executive director of the Southeast Georgia region. Evacuees returned to their homes early Sunday morning.

Officials said the plant sustained structural damage, but no chemical tanks were affected. Krutz said the fire started in the terpene resin area of the facility. The terpene resins, according to Krutz, are used in adhesives, construction specialties, flavors, fragrances, personal care as well as other household items.

Krutz said the company is working with officials to conduct a full investigation.

Pinova plant officials will make the final decision on plant operations once the investigators complete the inspection.

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Brunswick mayor issued voluntary evacuations for resident in a 1/2 mile radius of Pinova plant

BRUNSWICK, Ga. – Families in Brunswick, Georgia are headed back home Sunday morning following the massive fire that broke out twice at the Pinova plant Saturday.

Crews worked throughout the night to extinguish the reignited flames that triggered shelter-in-place and evacuation orders. Officials said the fire was contained and officially out around 10 p.m.

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Kimmly Parrish was one of the residents who adhered to the evacuation because she lives near the plant.

“You don’t take chances with fire,” Parrish said.

Parrish called the entire experience devastating because residents “never had a scare with that plant.”

She said she decided to leave because she was afraid that the fire would cause an explosion and she couldn’t breathe because of the extensive smoke in the air.

“I had to have my mask on because of the chemicals that fume from that fire. It wasn’t good for me,” Parrish said.

Fire departments are still on the site directing water to the plant to ensure another fire doesn’t break out.

When the fire reignited, Brunswick Mayor Cosby Johnson called for voluntary evacuations and extended the shelter-in-place order to the entire town. He also said the Red Cross set up a shelter at Howard Coffin Park for evacuees.

Parrish opted to stay with her grandson across town, but according to the Executive Director of Red Cross Southeast Georgia, 29 Glynn County residents signed in at the shelter and 16 stayed the entire night.

The Salvation Army provided a hot breakfast along with snacks and drinks. The Red Cross also provided guests with pizza and snacks as well.

Other residents told News4JAX that they wished city officials would have called for an evacuation earlier in the day.

Now, they said they do not feel safe living in their neighborhood.

Parrish said before the fire she was thinking about moving someone else. Now, she said it’s definitely going to happen.

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BRUNSWICK, Ga. – It’s a new solution to help people afford homes in Glynn County.

A nonprofit is building a tiny home village at the home of the old Altama Presbyterian Church in Brunswick that is designed for people living on the street.

Each tiny home is about 240 square feet and comes completely furnished.

By next month, the space will transform into a gated community with security cameras, an outdoor patio and a garden for residents to tend to.

Carolyn Johnson is the Director of Hand-in-Hand Glynn, the local homeless advocacy nonprofit behind the project.

It’s part of a new program they’re launching to get unhoused people off the street.

“The organization was founded in 2018 by Ann Fimbler. Construction started in 2019 and we now have 60 houses that are completely built and the last few are getting finished,” Johnson said.

The homes have a bed with bedding, a kitchen full of pots and pans and a bathroom with toiletries.

Each home is designed for one person so only 60 individuals will qualify.

“The qualifications are they have to be chronically homeless in Glynn County,” Johnson said. “Chronically homeless is a year of being homeless like the past year or the total of a year over the past three years. And also according to HUD regulations that includes a disability.”

The tiny village is funded solely through donations from the community and will offer more than just free long-term housing.

The group plans to hold financial classes, mental health programs and staff a medical center.

She said the group will also offer an incentive program where residents earn credits through volunteer work.

Every time News4JAX does a story about homelessness, people always ask: Why can’t they just get a job?

Well, it’s a lot more difficult than people think. If you didn’t sleep, you didn’t have good nutrition, you aren’t able to bathe yourself so you can be clean and presentable, or maybe you don’t have an ID or someone robbed you. And that’s only part of the battle for unhoused people.

According to data from End Violence Against Women International, 56% of women and 14% of men who are homeless will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime.

So the tiny village will also serve as a safe space for one of Glynn County’s most vulnerable populations, a place that they can finally call home.

The tiny village will also include housing for individuals who are handicapped.

The goal is for construction to wrap up by next month but that could vary depending on delays.

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