| On August 24, 1992 hurricane Andrew landed in | | | | volatile locations. A huge effort was made by |
| Homestead, Florida laying a path of | | | | local authorities and emergency service |
| destruction as it moved through the state. | | | | agencies to provide better methods and |
| This was the worst storm to hit the area in | | | | technology for the detection, and tracking of |
| over 30 years, and many of the people living | | | | such storms. The one good thing that happened |
| in the area were new to the region and never | | | | as a result of this storm was that it |
| had experienced a storm like this before. | | | | motivated the locals to better prepare |
| | | | themselves for the future. |
| The Category four hurricane hit with winds | | | | |
| gusting to speeds of 175 miles per hour, and | | | | The economic consequences of this hurricane |
| swells reaching 17 feet in height along the | | | | were felt far and wide. After the storm |
| coast. The storm destroyed property and left | | | | almost one and a half million people where |
| as many as 250,000 people homeless. Sixty | | | | left without power, some for as long as 6 |
| Five people died as a result of the storm, | | | | months. Businesses could not operate or had |
| and many more suffered injuries. | | | | to move to temporary facilities in an effort |
| | | | to rebuild and recover lost revenues. Many |
| The damage left in the wake of the hurricane | | | | businesses lost financial records, and data |
| was devastating. The ferocious storm | | | | that were crucial to the company's |
| destroyed or damaged an estimated 600,000 | | | | operations. The total damage from the storm |
| homes and businesses. Water and wind damage | | | | was estimated at approximately 26 billion |
| were in evidence all over. A great many of | | | | dollars. |
| the homes located in this area were small | | | | |
| mobile homes, and virtually all of them where | | | | The residents of the state of Florida where |
| reduced to rubble. Local roads and highways | | | | ill prepared for a hurricane of this |
| received damage, and all major utilities | | | | magnitude. Many were of a generation that |
| experienced major interruptions of service. | | | | had never before experienced such |
| Local residents of the area were, in some | | | | devastation, since the last major storm to |
| cases, without power, water or, sewage for as | | | | hit the area occurred some 30 years before. |
| much as six months. The Florida coast was | | | | The need to take precautions in an effort to |
| also home to many boats and water craft and | | | | limit the effects of a natural disaster is |
| insurance claims for damage to these craft | | | | essential. Many insurance companies now offer |
| amounted to millions. | | | | discounted rates to companies that include |
| | | | disaster planning into their standard |
| The social impact of this storm was | | | | business plans. It is not possible to be too |
| far-reaching. Many families left the area to | | | | well prepared. |
| rebuild their lives in safer and less | | | | |