When Disaster Rewrites Your Plans...
There is never a shortage of grief when disaster sweeps through a region, leaving normalcy in the dust. Disasters – man made or natural – seize temporary control of lives and circumstances. Whatever the plans might have been, they have involuntarily been changed. At the very least, they have been drastically delayed.
In situations where complete loss of property exists, the impacts of such loss are great; and, all of the fail-safes that businesses and homeowners have previously set in place must come into play.
For some, however, such preparation may not have been an economic option. Many have been set on a disastrous path of great loss with bleak prospects for regaining stability, any time soon, without the benefits of insurance and other protections.
That is where community and pro-bono considerations are forthcoming. Our communities’ outpouring of help and hope is remarkable towards both situations -- those with adequate preparation against disaster, and those without.
Your professional neighbors in the construction and design industries are among the many resources at-the-ready to assist their communities and aid in recovery. Already, many have stepped into the massive process. It starts with completely revised plans that fit the scope of your damage. Approaching the challenges that have just landed in our lives is not for the faint of heart; it requires all our courage and as much help as we can muster.
For huge sections of our region it will be reconstruction from the ground up. For others there will be the possibility of repair and salvage. It is very important for our community members to get the right guidance before making critical moves or taking drastic action.
Your insurance professionals will provide much expert guidance concerning where to begin and with what menu of options. Most professionals in the reconstruction and design industries are available to assist you with your preliminary considerations. (While this writer cannot speak for others, it is probably safe to mention that many will be offering some initial guidance at little or no fee.)
The recovery process has many, many layers. It would be unreasonable to pretend to know what it means individual by individual. However, I am among those who experienced evacuation. I am also among those who thankfully suffered no loss except inconvenience. It is an experience – as all of you know – that touches every aspect of our selves. Together, we have watched neighbors, friends and family suffer – many irreparably. Just as we have felt the crushing experience of wildfire, together, we have to experience recovery through mutual help and empathy.
My company and others are here to help you recover your balance, focus on your forward motion and design your plan for the future. It is a long road forward and there is no reason to walk it alone.
Trust your local experts who are moving through this difficult crisis just as you are. We are here for you.
Photo contributed by Robert Boccabella
With chaos all around, it is hard to picture the return to peaceful “business as usual.” You will get there with a new plan, time, patience and good guidance.
