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The Florida Hurricanes of 2004 The first-hand account of a turbulent hurricane season demonstrates the significant disruptions natural disasters can cause, and what can be done to mitigate them. By Jim Wills When Hurricane Charley was making its way toward Florida, weather prognosticators were predicting its landfall somewhere in the Tampa / St. Pete area. Governor Jeb Bush and local authorities called for evacuation plans to go into effect, and Route 4 East and Route 75 North turned into a slow road away from harm's way. What would ultimately happen would surprise everyone. Hurricane Charley hit the coast of Florida as a Category 4 with winds as high as 149 mph. It hit several miles south of expected landfall, surprising many businesses and communities with devastation beyond expectation. Contractors and resources flocked to the area within days of the event. Hurricane Francis then proceeded toward the east coast of Florida, devastating businesses and taxing the resources of companies already committed on the west coast. Orlando seemed to attract storms from both coasts. While a multitude of contractors and recovery personnel could be seen driving on the west coast highways, the east coast highways told a different story: Resources were already committed by many to storm number one. After Francis passed, Ivan proceeded to tease the west coast of Florida again, this time hitting the panhandle and wiping out businesses and tourist attractions. With traffic arteries being hit hard, commuting to the loss sites in the beginning took from two to five hours for recovery personnel. The losses from the 2004 Florida hurricanes far exceeded the ability of recovery and restoration contractors to mitigate quickly; they far exceeded the ability of roofers to get materials and make repairs in a timely fashion; and they far exceeded the availability of temporary power and fuel to satisfy the needs. Furthermore, companies many times didn't take into account the number of employees that felt their own personal needs were as important as, or more important than, the continued daily operation or resumption of business. Assessing the Damage According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the amount of money for federal disaster aid in Florida has topped $7.1 billion. A release on FEMA's website (www.fema.gov) states:
Money to help Floridians whose lives were severely disrupted by the ravages of four major hurricanes in a two-month period continues to flow into disaster-stricken areas. Federal and state aid has surpassed $1.7 billion as of October 15, with over 936,000 registrants to date seeking assistance for losses suffered from Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne as well as from Tropical Storm Bonnie. Not since the l880s, and never in Florida's history, has the calamity of four hurricanes striking one state in a single season occurred. Other sources suggest even more significant financial loss resulting from the storms (see Table below).
One example of the financial impact of the hurricane damage is West Florida Hospital in Pensacola, one of the more visible larger losses in the area. Restoration costs approached $1 million and reconstruction costs are in the neighborhood of 10-12 million. The first impression at the hospital was that of a war zone. Board up and security issues needed to be addressed while emergency mitigation measures were taken. Water intrusion, debris removal, and safety issues were handled first. The contractor boarded up the property as contractors worked to stabilize the environment. Lessons Learned The 2004 hurricanes remind us of the importance of conducting thorough planning well before disruptions occur to help mitigate the effects of a disaster. Develop Relationships with Vendors Why is it that some businesses had manpower and resources in the area ready to mitigate, energize electrical systems, and begin the process of recovery, while others were still trying to negotiate a plan of recovery weeks after the event? Some insurance companies that were set up in Florida offered a compliment of support services representing adjusting expertise from both staff and independent services. These types of services ranged from vendors representing many disciplines including legal, engineering, building consultants, and environmental, to contractors representing drying, dehumidification, building stabilization, extraction, and mitigation services. Many businesses had set up relationships giving them priority service after the event, but most had not. Work Together Risk managers try to assess risk and impact safety in order to buy the right insurance. Facility managers keep the daily operations of a company going without incident. Continuity planners try to outthink the potential stoppages of work process and prepare a company for the unthinkable. Restoration and recovery vendors try to make it all work out after an event. However, without all the parties working on the front end of the process together, the likelihood of a successful recovery is small. Start Planning Now Although 9/11 memories will never fade too far from this generation of readers, many of the same challenges were faced by companies trying to react after the Florida hurricanes. While the catastrophic events of 9/11 and the hurricanes of 2004 that hit the state of Florida are fresh in our minds, the lessons that can be learned apply to a singular event in one particular location or business. The time to complete the fact finding process of recovery solutions is before an event ever occurs. About the Author Jim Wills is Director of Commercial Restoration for ServiceMaster Clean. In Jim’s 25 years with ServiceMaster, his roles have included working and operating several businesses, and as a regional director in the Northeast before taking on his present role. Jim always found himself pursuing the large loss business participating in the recovery of disasters such as the Chicago financial district flood of ‘92, the Midwest floods of ‘93, and many hurricanes and tornados. Jim served as Project Manager for the restoration efforts at the Pentagon following the tragic events of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Most recently, Jim headed up the commercial recovery response in Florida after the four hurricanes which devastated the state. He can be reached at (901) 597-7538, or (800) 633-5703 or, http://www.servicemasterclean.com
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