In today’s disaster landscape, emergencies rarely happen alone. As climate conditions grow increasingly unpredictable, emergency managers are facing a growing challenge: preparing for multiple disasters back-to-back and at once. Hurricanes and wildfires, while once considered seasonal and separate, are now overlapping more often in the Southeast.
In 2017, Hurricane Irma’s heavy rains followed severe drought conditions that had primed areas of Florida and Georgia for wildfires, creating complex recovery challenges. Similarly, in 2020, the Southeast experienced flooding from Hurricane Sally shortly after wildfires had swept through parts of Alabama and Georgia. Together, these events create a dangerous double threat that can wear resources, response times, and recovery plans thin.
For emergency management teams operating in these conditions, this means rethinking preparedness from the ground up. Having just a hurricane plan or just a wildfire plan is no longer enough. Now, agencies need tools, protocols, and partners that can handle multiple threats quickly and effectively. That’s where Major Clean can help.
Unique Challenges of Each Threat
Hurricanes and wildfires each bring their own set of complex conditions during disaster response. Both require quick action, but each has specific aftermaths that call for different tools, tactics, and recovery timelines.
Hurricanes bring flooding, power outages, and wind damage. But once the storm passes, mold, bacteria, and odor issues quickly become major concerns. After Hurricane Michael struck Florida in 2018, emergency teams reported widespread mold and contamination in flood-damaged homes, requiring extensive cleaning efforts.
Wildfires leave behind ash, smoke damage, and poor air quality. Even structures that remain standing can be unsafe due to lingering toxic particles and chemical residue. In 2016, wildfires in Gatlinburg, Tennessee not only destroyed homes but also left dangerous ash and air quality issues that complicated recovery for months.
When disasters strike one after the other or at the same time, their impacts overlap and intensify. For example, buildings weakened by wildfire may not withstand high winds from a hurricane or tornado. Floodwaters can carry ash, soot, and contaminants into areas that were previously unaffected. After the 2019 tornado outbreak in the Southeast, many communities faced flooding that spread debris from prior wildfires, creating complex cleanup challenges. In these situations, emergency management teams face layered cleanup needs that demand fast, flexible, and effective solutions.
What Emergency Managers Need in Their Arsenal
Whether responding to hurricanes, wildfires, or both, emergency teams need reliable, mission-ready tools that cover a wide range of threats without complicating logistics.
OdoBan® BioOdor Digester is a must-have in any recovery kit. It breaks down organic waste and embedded odors in spaces affected by floods, wildfires, or other disasters. For large-scale disinfecting and odor control, OdoBan® Disinfectant delivers hospital-grade performance trusted by responders on the frontlines of disaster response.
To stay ahead of post-disaster pest outbreaks, No Natz® botanical insect repellent provides dependable protection in areas impacted by stagnant water, floodwaters, or disturbed terrain. Made with olive and coconut oils, this repellent is highly effective at keeping gnats, biting flies, and mosquitoes at bay.
With the right tools in place, agencies can respond faster, clean smarter, and protect both their teams and communities through every stage of disaster recovery.
Stay Ready, Stay Ahead
When hurricanes and wildfires collide or happen in quick succession, there’s no room for delay. Emergency managers who plan ahead, stock the right supplies, and work with reliable partners are the ones who lead effective, life-saving response missions.
Major Clean is built for these moments. We help agencies prepare for the worst so they can respond with confidence, no matter the disaster.
Stock up before disaster touches down. Explore our field-tested, American-made products at themajorclean.com/ today and build an emergency response plan that’s prepared for any crisis.
