Disaster Strikes: 3 Critical Factors That Should Be A Part Of A Recovery Plan

By Brian Sutter, Director of Marketing, Wasp Barcode Technologies

In the darkest days after a tornado in early May damaged 30 percent of Van, Texas, (a city outside of Dallas) residents were provided some relief when the Van High School “Vandals” baseball team beat North Lamar High School to go on to the state semifinals for the first time in program history.

Prior to the game, administrators and coaches from North Lamar provided Van coaches with a check for more than $4,500 to help with relief efforts in rebuilding the city. The Vandals were able to provide their community with school spirit and pride after the storm. As a reward for their efforts, the Texas Rangers invited the entire baseball team from Van to a game and presented them with $10,000 check.

Needless to say, we’re all rooting for Vans and all cities across Texas and surrounding areas to come back on top after months of tornadoes and deadly rain have wreaked havoc, soaking major cities and affecting hundreds of thousands of people.

Thousands are without homes and more than 30 people were killed last month in the region from catastrophic flash flooding. The area suffered more damage after Tropical Storm Bill dumped more rain and flooded parts of North Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri.

When a disaster to this degree strikes, entire cities and local economies are destroyed. An estimated 25 percent of businesses close permanently after a natural disaster, according to the Institute for Business and Home Safety, mostly because they’re just too vulnerable. When small businesses close, researchers from the Small Business Majority and the American Sustainable Business Council, estimate that an average of $3,000 goes down the drain daily.

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