What to Do 24h After a Tornado Touches Down
The Critical First 24 Hours
When a tornado hits your operational area, the decisions you make in the first 24 hours will determine your recovery timeline, financial impact, and business continuity. This playbook provides hour-by-hour guidance for business leaders managing tornado aftermath.
Hour 0-2: Immediate Response (Life Safety Priority)
Personnel Accountability (First 30 minutes)
- Activate emergency communication tree
- Account for all employees, contractors, visitors
- Establish temporary communication center if primary is damaged
- Coordinate with emergency services
- Report any injuries immediately
- Do NOT enter damaged buildings until cleared
Critical Systems Check (30-60 minutes)
- Gas: Check for leaks, shut off if suspected
- Electrical: Avoid downed lines, document outages
- Water: Test pressure, check for contamination
- Secure entrances to prevent unauthorized access
- Protect undamaged inventory from weather exposure
Initial Damage Assessment (60-120 minutes)
- Wait for professional assessment before entry
- Document visible damage categories: roof, walls, equipment
- Identify immediate hazards: hanging debris, flooding
- Check server room/data center status
- Activate backup systems if needed
Hour 2-6: Immediate Business Decisions
Insurance Notification (Priority #1)
- Contact all relevant insurers immediately
- Property insurance: Report claim
- Business interruption: Document start time
- Workers compensation: Report any employee injuries
Stakeholder Communication
- All-hands communication: Employee safety confirmed
- Board/ownership notification: Initial damage assessment
- Key customers: Service impact notification
- Suppliers: Delivery/pickup modifications
Business Continuity Activation
- Activate work-from-home protocols
- Redirect phone systems
- Deploy mobile hotspots if needed
- Contact alternative suppliers
- Reroute incoming deliveries
Hour 6-12: Strategic Assessment
Professional Inspections
- Schedule structural engineer assessment
- Arrange equipment specialist evaluation
- Get utility connection safety check
Financial Impact Analysis
- Calculate employee relocation/temporary work costs
- Estimate emergency repairs to prevent further damage
- Project lost productivity/revenue per day
- Gather all documentation for insurance
Regulatory Compliance
- OSHA reporting if applicable (injuries within 8 hours)
- Environmental compliance for any chemical spills
- Document all safety measures taken
Hour 12-18: Recovery Planning
Temporary Operations Setup
- Identify alternative workspace options
- Calculate setup costs and timeline
- Negotiate short-term lease terms
- Prioritize critical processes
Vendor Coordination
- Secure quotes for temporary repairs
- Prioritize life safety and asset protection
- Arrange debris removal services
- Contact equipment cleaning/restoration specialists
Hour 18-24: Strategic Decisions
Long-term Planning Initiation
- Develop recovery timeline:
- Phase 1: Emergency operations (1-2 weeks)
- Phase 2: Temporary normal operations (2-8 weeks)
- Phase 3: Permanent restoration (2-12 months)
Financial strategy
- Assess cash flow impact
- Request insurance advances
- Consider emergency credit line activation
Communication Strategy Refinement
- Detail customer communication with service restoration timeline
- Assign employee work locations
- Assure payroll continuity
- Provide support resources information
Decision Trees for Common Scenarios
Scenario 1: Facility Destroyed, Equipment Salvageable
Immediate Priority: Equipment protection and relocation
- Timeline: 2-3 days for equipment assessment
- Cost: $50K-$200K for temporary storage/setup
- Decision: Rebuild vs. relocate (30-day decision window)
Scenario 2: Facility Damaged, Equipment Destroyed
Immediate Priority: Alternative space and equipment sourcing
- Timeline: 1-2 weeks for temporary operations
- Cost: $100K-$500K for equipment replacement
- Decision: Insurance settlement vs. business loan
Scenario 3: Minor Facility Damage, Major Equipment Issues
Immediate Priority: Equipment repair vs. replacement analysis
- Timeline: 3-5 days for professional assessment
- Cost: $25K-$150K for temporary solutions
- Decision: Repair timeline vs. customer commitments
Key Success Factors
- Immediate life safety focus
- Rapid insurance notification
- Proactive stakeholder communication
- Quick business continuity activation
- Professional damage assessment
Conclusion
The first 24 hours after a tornado determine whether your business faces a minor setback or a major crisis. Companies that follow structured response protocols recover 3x faster and retain 85% more customers than those without plans.
Don't wait for the next tornado to test your response plan. Review this playbook with your leadership team quarterly, and conduct annual tabletop exercises.
Need immediate tornado response support? Emergency hotline: 1-512-TORNADO (1-512-867-6236)