Disaster planning presents organizations with a difficult paradox. Reliable communication is essential for maintaining contact with staff, customers and business partners in the aftermath of a catastrophic event. However, effective communication is usually among the first casualties when disaster strikes.
During the first nine months of 2023, the U.S. experienced 24 natural disasters with damages exceeding $1 billion each — the most since the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration began tracking such events in 1980. The numbers reflect a troubling trend, with eight of the 10 worst years for billion-dollar disasters occurring in the past decade.