Computers are supposed to make life easier…. Right? How is that working out for you???
Your company’s computer network and the internet may have streamlined your operation and have made it easier for your clients to do business with you.... but has this new electronic world also exposed your company to a potentially catastrophic un-insured risk.
It was August 21, 2011 that a powerful F3 Tornado struck the town of GoderichOntario. The
once beautiful lakeside community had to suffer a 19.5 KM path of destruction
caused by the Twister. Many residential and commercial properties suffered a
vast amount of damage and it was apparent that rebuilding would be a long and
stressful process. One year and millions of dollars later the peaceful
community has come a long way. Many properties have been repaired, rebuilt or
relocated within the town and not only has Goderich been restored, it’s been
improved. A tragedy such as the Goderich Tornado truly proves how a community
can come together and overcome nature's strongest forces.
Although you can never downplay the tenacity of the people of this city, it is important
to remember that they couldn't do it alone. Although the positive aspects are never sensationalized in the media, I
can truly tell you that insurance is a huge part of the rebuilding of this
community. In the media, if there is one
person in Goderich that didn’t have insurance or had a bad experience – you are
more likely to hear about that making headlines… but there are many more
stories of how so many people and businesses were able to rebuild, because of the
insurance protection they had in place,
and the insurance companies and people that stepped up and helped out. See the video below for more on the Goderich community and the impact of the
Tornado.
If you looked out your window at mid-afternoon you would swear it was mid-night. Dark storm clouds completely filled the skies of Ottawa on the afternoon of July 23rd. At first, this appeared to be a blessing; we hadn’t seen much precipitation and some rain would be nice. Unfortunately, we got a little bit more then we bargained for.
At first, it seemed like the outlying areas were seeing the worst of the storm. The Lanark region had been put under a Tornado warning and there had already been un-confirmed reports of Tornado touchdowns. At approximately 3:00 Pm Ottawa began to receive its share of the severe weather. A large storm pummeled the Nations Capital with lightening, strong winds and large hail. Downed trees caused damages to properties and power lines which lead to thousands of people without hydro. Probably the most frightening part of the storm was the golf-ball sized hail. The hail was so large that it caused significant damages to the automobiles of many Ottawa residents.
The Account Managers of Rhodes & Williams have been very busy this week assisting all of their clients’ needs surrounding this storm. When Personal Lines Account Manager-Carol Kelly was asked about the storm, she responded “I’m up to about 10 auto claims”. Carol continued to explain that the hail was so large it caused considerable damage to the exterior of many vehicles. West of Ottawa, strong winds brought down thousands of trees. Personal Lines Account Manager- Laurie Hall-Groulx has been busy assisting clients with damages resulting from fallen trees.
July 23rd is a prime example of the weather forces that Ontarians should be prepared for. Always monitor weather bulletins and plan accordingly if severe weather is imminent in your area.
Read more about this storm in a story created by local live tweets of people on scene:
