On May 26, 2011 I was on assignment to evaluate damages forone of our firm's clients. I knew right away this was not going tobe a typical assignment.

My job was to assess damages after the EF-5 tornado that rippedthrough Joplin, Missouri. My firm was employed to investigatedamages to the machinery and electrical in a manufacturing plant.The utter scope of the damages after the tornado was surreal.Everywhere I looked, buildings were flattened to theground. People were wandering around, rummaging through therubble, or simply waiting for someone to show up.

The powerful tornado had carved a path of destruction threequarters of a mile wide and six miles long through the heart of thecity. Driving into the area from the south, I was immediatelystruck by the enormous magnitude of the destruction. AlthoughI had followed the news reports extensively over the days prior tomy inspection, nothing prepared me for the moment I foundmyself standing in the middle of it, with wreckage as far as Icould see in every direction.

The roads were primarily cleared prior to my arrival, but wewere still driving over downed power lines, through and around roadblocks. New power lines were being installed while I wasthere, and in many cases, the new utility poles were the onlystructures visible above ground level.

For days after the tornado, including while I was there,thunderstorms continued to pound the area, further hindering therecovery efforts. Residents faced an uphill battle just to getto their homes and businesses, and it was apparent that it would bea long time before rebuilding could even begin.

One of the losses I inspected was a manufacturing plant, thestructure of which was still standing but had suffered severedamages. The insured had decided early on that it wouldnot rebuild in Joplin. It was difficult for me speaking withthe employees of the plant, knowing they would all be withouta job the following week.

We have no way of knowing how the tornado ultimately affectedthe lives of the employees, not to mention the families of theemployees. Even though I took more than 1,000 photos during mytwo-day inspection, I just didn't feel right about taking picturesof people. It seemed too intrusive.

In the claims business, we regularly meet people who haverecently been through a traumatic event involving the loss of theirhome or business, and often a friend or relative. When our jobinvolving the property claim is done, we typically move on to thenext claim. When I hear Joplin mentioned in a conversation, itmakes me pause to remember that, for the residents and businessesin Joplin, the rebuilding process is still ongoing and truerecovery will take much longer.

Photo courtesy of AmsetTechnical Consulting, Inc.