It’s been proven over and over, especially in recent years, that disaster can and will strike anywhere and, at any time. Even those of us who feel a false sense of security because it’s as if living in the Midwest and Great Lakes area somehow protects us from disaster. It certainly does not.

According to The National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), statistics show, “The U.S. has sustained 371 weather and climate disasters since 1980 where overall damages/costs reached or exceeded $1 billion (including CPI adjustment to 2023),”.

“…The total cost of these 371 events exceeds $2.615 trillion. In 2023 (as of September 11), there have been 23 confirmed weather/climate disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion each to affect United States. These events included 2 flooding events, 18 severe storm events, 1 tropical cyclone event, 1 wildfire event, and 1 winter storm event”.

When wind, water, or fire damage occurs, a highly trained, dedicated support team committed to keeping you informed and satisfied should be comprised of a superintendent, project manager, and an insurance liaison, as well as client service and administrative support professionals. This team should be there to help navigate the restoration process, including the complex insurance claims process, and to rise above the unexpected.

A disaster restoration consultant can help to verify that a contractor’s recommendations are on point, on budget, and in your best interest. Suppose they have attentive and experienced leadership and are available to review your existing project scope and timeline. In that case, they should be qualified to verify that your contractor’s budget aligns with industry benchmarks.

Additionally, one should expect that during a disaster preparation audit, they must be able to identify areas that are vulnerable to wind, water, and fire damage, as well as provide the insight – and the services if needed – to help address them before damage occurs. As a result, you’ll be better prepared for the unexpected and reduce the likelihood of significant property damage and major insurance claims in the future.

(NCEI is the Nation’s Scorekeeper in terms of addressing severe weather and climate events in their historical perspective. As part of its responsibility of monitoring and assessing the climate, NCEI tracks and evaluates climate events in the U.S. and globally that have great economic and societal impacts.)

Disaster recovery checklist

Licensed public adjusters who have handled thousands of claims across all disaster types, including fires, tornadoes, windstorms, floods, and business interruption, typically live in the communities they serve and are experts at assessing damage from common and rare disasters. Reputable companies suggest the following as a guideline for starting a disaster recovery checklist. Here are just a few:

For the complete list go to