The true economic, personal, family, political, environmental and business repercussions of a hurricane catastrophic like that of Otis in Acapulco they start now.
The devastation does not only occur in buildings or roads or businesses. The main devastation is what we suffer on an emotional level, which leaves us exhausted after the prolonged agony of not knowing how much longer the wind, the noise, the destruction will last. Not knowing how far the flood will reach and if we will survive it.
Unfortunately, it is only after going through a traumatic experience like this that we understand the importance of prevention, of civil protection measures, of the respect that we must have towards the attacks of nature.
The lessons of Hurricane Otis and Wilma
In 2005, in Quintana Roo and especially in Cozumel, we experienced a hurricane similar to Otis. Category 5, Hurricane Wilma caused havoc that has not yet returned to normal as it was parked for three nights and four days above the island causing irreparable damage throughout the state of Quintana Roo.
As in Acapulco, the wind burned all green foliage, leaving brown plains, plants and trees barely standing in its wake.
- When we start cleaning our city we realize the mistakes we have made.
- We have not designed the buildings to have safety measures against winds of this magnitude.
- We have not used the appropriate materials to make our homes effective shelters. Drywall becomes the most difficult waste to remove and degrade. Thin window and door glass becomes dangerous and difficult to handle.
- We do not have effective evacuation plans, safety protocols, or sufficient and adequate shelters.
- There is a lack of previously trained brigades to know how to react and what to do before, during and after a catastrophe like this.
- Hospitals, clinics, banks, ATMs, supermarkets, pharmacies, drinking and municipal water, electricity, roads, drainage, garbage cans, etc., become priorities and the shortage has an even greater impact on chaos and stress. of the population.
Living and doing business after a natural disaster
The way of living will never be the same after suffering an event like this. We learn to prevent, to protect, to take care of our loved ones. We learn to join forces and form a community because government agencies cannot face the problem alone. It is required of everyone.
For some businesses, companies, hotels, restaurants, Otis could mean bankruptcy. For others it will mean a debt that will take years to pay off. In the best of cases, for some companies it will be the starting signal to remodel themselves from the base and start again with a different approach.
But the biggest challenge comes some time later when we assimilate the experience for the first time. Facing the possibility of dying, the desperation of not having water, shelter or food, the uncertainty of how we are going to get out of the hole is terrifying. That is the emotional wound that takes the longest to heal and it is important to recognize it in all its magnitude.
For many years we will be accompanied by smells, sounds, and flavors that will remind us of those moments of anguish, but, in the end, we will be prepared to face even greater challenges.
Martha Isabel Nieto Cater Founder and director of CASE, SC dedicated to consulting and training managers. She is an expert in business development, planning and organizational structure, leadership and human resources development. She is a writer specializing in business topics, personalized customer service, hospitality and guest experience.