Two sisters from the Hudson Valley are making their mark in a male-dominated industry -- disaster restoration.
Laura and Brittany Johnson are taking over their parents' Middletown Servpro franchise, serving people in Orange, Sullivan, and southern Ulster counties. The ladies are undeterred by the fact few women are in the disaster restoration business.
"There are storm situations where you're seven days a week, on call, in the middle of the night. But those moments -- when they hug you, and they're crying, and they're thankful you're there, is what makes it worth it," Laura said.
"Being able to be that person to just ease their nerves -- to give them a deep breath and say we're here to help. We're here to help you through the entire process," said Brittany.
Their parents first started the Servpro franchise decades ago in their childhood home, before moving everything to Middletown.
"As a younger female, you really have to show how much you know about the industry and be able to let them know that, 'Hey, I really do know what we're doing, this is the whole crew behind it,'" Brittany added.
With storms battering the Hudson Valley, the sisters suggest knowing where water and gas valves are located to quickly shut them off when needed.
During the pandemic, their Servpro franchise provided free sanitation services for local first responders.