Having operated buildings in Texas and Louisiana, we know that weather creates risk. Although professionally-managed buildings have disaster preparedness plans, these critical plans may just be another book on a shelf. Our emergency plans were living documents, reviewed and updated regularly. Building teams trained to implement these plans and performed periodic readiness drills.
On a Friday evening in 2008, when the city's attention focused on an SEC playoff game at the Georgia Dome, an EF2 tornado hit downtown. Our building was at the center of the tornado's path. With winds estimated at 135 mph, the storm blew out over 300 windows, broke water pipes, and tore aluminum from building columns.
The city was in shock, but we had prepared. Our first response teams were already familiar with the building because we established those relationships well before the disaster. Clean-up began within hours of the storm. The teams had access to stockpiles of sheetrock, plywood, scaffolding, and other supplies needed to address the emergency. With crews working through the night, they secured the building by morning.
Although the damage totaled several million dollars, the building was open for business on Monday, just two days after the tornado. It was the first building in the central business district that was open and ready for business.
