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

My job was to assess damages after the EF-5 tornado that ripped through Joplin, Missouri. My firm was employed to investigate damages 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 the ground. People were wandering around, rummaging through the rubble, or simply waiting for someone to show up.

The powerful tornado had carved a path of destruction three quarters of a mile wide and six miles long through the heart of the city. Driving into the area from the south, I was immediately struck by the enormous magnitude of the destruction. Although I had followed the news reports extensively over the days prior to my inspection, nothing prepared me for the moment I found myself standing in the middle of it, with wreckage as far as I could see in every direction.

The roads were primarily cleared prior to my arrival, but we were still driving over downed power lines, through and around road blocks. New power lines were being installed while I was there, and in many cases, the new utility poles were the only structures visible above ground level.

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

One of the losses I inspected was a manufacturing plant, the structure of which was still standing but had suffered severe damages. The insured had decided early on that it would not rebuild in Joplin. It was difficult for me speaking with the employees of the plant, knowing they would all be without a job the following week.

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

In the claims business, we regularly meet people who have recently been through a traumatic event involving the loss of their home or business, and often a friend or relative. When our job involving the property claim is done, we typically move on to the next claim. When I hear Joplin mentioned in a conversation, it makes me pause to remember that, for the residents and businesses in Joplin, the rebuilding process is still ongoing and true recovery will take much longer.

Photo courtesy of Amset Technical Consulting, Inc.

Special Reports /

Remembering The Devastation: An Engineer's Account

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