Twenty years ago, Hurricane Katrina destroyed the Gulf Coast in August. More than 1,300 lives were lost. The destroyed houses, displaced families and overwhelmed many of the institutions that caught up with civil society.
It was also a wake-up call that reformed how the country reacts to natural disasters. We have made real progress in the past two decades. Government agencies, non -profit organizations, companies and social organizations have built up stronger systems to prepare before the disaster statement.
But while the recent devastating floods in Texas, Californian forest fires and many other disasters have shown, we still have to do work to make preparedness universal. And with experts who predict another Active hurricane season This year it is of vital importance that we all work together to help communities ready. Stakeholders of all types of sizes have a crucial role to play when building resilience as storms arrive faster and get harder.
Do what you know best
An important lesson from the past two decades is that companies can have a major impact on the preparedness of disasters when they do what they know best – whether that is logistics, supply chains or other specialized services.
FedexFor example, the logistics expertise used to create checklists of emergency palatity that help small companies build their own plans. Other companies work together with non -profit organizations to strengthen disaster response systems.
Following hurricane Katrina, Abbott to collaborate With the feeding of America and direct lighting of essential nutrition and health care products in food banks and clinics in risky areas. Since 2006, these partnerships have offered rapid help to 700,000 people about the Golf, the Southeast Coast and other areas. This year we expect to help an extra 270,000 people – our support for nearly 1 million people.
This model continues to grow. Feed America Now cooperates with new partners, including supermarket chain Aldi, on preposition-stable food and emergency items for wider distribution.
Subordinate
Of course, an extensive disaster parlor requires more than guaranteeing stocks for rapid distribution in the aftermath of a storm. Throughout the country, non -profit organizations and companies work together to strengthen the infrastructure, train staff and develop continuity plans, so that AIDs can reach families faster when this is most needed.
Natural disasters pose a particularly acute threat to small companies. According to a report of 2025 of the Milken InstituteAlmost two -thirds of the small companies that experience a natural disaster within a year after experiencing a natural disaster. Less than four out of 10 have insurance that covers natural disasters.
These gaps are more difficult for them to recover and for communities to bounce back. A natural disaster can disrupt supply chains, move employees and customers and ripple out to block the entire local economies.
Resistance
Fortunately, there are resources available. Groups such as the US Chamber or Commerce Foundation offer guidance and offer step by step Planning tool Tailored to small companies.
But that is only part of the solution. The next step will be to facilitate proactive, long -term resilience. Our above partnerships, which facilitated investments in back -up energy systems, emergency storage facilities and training programs for personnel solutions, are examples of this approach. Such practical upgrades help ensure that essential services remain available during and after a crisis that the system communities taste on most systems.
Every community is different. What is needed in New Orleans may not be the same as what is needed in Miami or San Juan. But one thing is clear: the more we work together and prepare, the stronger we will be when the next storm arrives.
Melissa Brotz is the most important marketing, communication and sustainability officer at Abbott.
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