2017 saw unprecedented hurricane activity in the Western Hemisphere, wreaking havoc in the Southern Pacific, Caribbean, Gulf, and Atlantic. As Edmund Burke stated “Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it.” In order to prepare for the upcoming hurricane season, Cotton Global Disaster Solutions recommends taking a look back at our 2017 Hurricane Season In Review. The infographic not only gives an extensive breakdown of last year's storm activity, and devastation, but also highlights Cotton's turnkey solutions and our multi-divisional response to the seasons quadruple punch.
Of course, the best planning doesn’t always safeguard us from the full wrath of Mother Nature, but proper measures can be taken to mitigate costs for your business. The devastation from these storms was catastrophic, causing billions of dollars in capital losses, operational expenses, infrastructure, and sadly, human life. In August, Hurricane Harvey affected more than 6 million people across Texas with over 30 inches of rainfall, resulting in an estimated $200 billion in damages. Following Harvey, the two storms in September- Irma and Maria, contributed to the most active month on record for Atlantic storms. These affected millions of people with their heavy rain, strong winds, and over $170 billion in damages.
As these catastrophic storms continued to roll in, our disaster mitigation solutions were on full display, showcasing our international capabilities with projects spanning five countries/territories and over 60 towns and cities. Cotton’s diverse portfolio of industries serviced included 100+ public entity projects from healthcare and educational facilities to official government buildings. While working on these large-scale projects Cotton was also asked to deploy emergency food services. Cotton Culinary provided over 106,000 meals during Hurricane Harvey operations, and another 28,000 meals following Hurricanes Irma and Maria in the Virgin Islands. Beyond our specialized restoration, construction, and culinary services, Cotton Logistics provided integrated services for the petrochemical, oil and gas, and telecommunications industries supplying them with temporary facilities, portable toilets and showers, power supply, and fuel, among other critical resources.
The Cotton companies responded to 4 massive storms simultaneously in the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean. We were able to assist many clients with their recovery regardless of the geographic and operational challenges. Through our vast experience responding to these major natural disasters over the years, Cotton is an expert in all phases of a business' recovery, understanding that the most critical component-planning-must happen before the storm hits.
Visit cottongds.com to learn more about our turnkey services and how we can help you develop a business continuity plan before the next disaster.