After Hurricane Rita hit Lake Charles in southwest Louisiana, many businesses wondered if they would ever be the same. Mass destruction was everywhere. Lake Charles, known for its large, beautiful oak and pine trees, now had the job of removing those downed trees from homes, businesses and lots. You could see for miles through what used to be thick forests. Everywhere were huge trucks designed to remove huge tree trunks. As I drove down a street, fallen trees could be seen stacked two stories high, waiting to be picked up. The city grew rapidly in size due to the increasing number of repair crews working on recovery operations. The noise created by their chainsaws could be heard from daytime until dusk. The sounds of hammers were everywhere as homeowners rushed to repair their roofs. Often, repair crews would simply find an empty lot and pitch tents for the night because all the motels were full. The traffic was incredibly slow and it seemed as if everyone was trying to get onto the road at the same time. Driving from point A to point B can often be quite an adventure. As expected in conditions like these, accidents were numerous. Police often did not have the resources to ticket all crashers, so unless there were injuries, insurance cards were swapped and police moved on to the next accident.

Months after Hurricane Rita hit, businesses large and small were still frantically trying to find workers so they could start over. It seemed like every business in town had a “Help Wanted” sign out front. People who wanted a job could get one and receive a higher salary. Walmart, known for staying open 24 hours a day, was only able to stay open during abbreviated hours. Employers often had to bus employees from locations not affected by the hurricane each morning and return them in the evening because there were not enough workers available in the local area.

Restaurants that normally stayed open late into the night closed at 6:00 pm, if they opened at all. Compensation scales that were in use before the hurricanes had to be scrapped and new plans implemented. Minimum wage jobs were non-existent. Employees who were making minimum wage before the storm could now be paid $10 an hour just for being a flagger (a person who directs traffic). Fast food restaurants that normally paid minimum wage now pay $10 or $11. Burger King was even offering a $1,500 bonus for entry-level workers. Upscale restaurants that typically paid minimum wage plus tips now pay premium rates plus tips. Restaurants that remained open often had much younger staff and it was evident that managers and assistant managers were working overtime to train these new workers. Restaurant customers had to learn patience because these enthusiastic but largely untrained workers would make mistakes.

Questions

1-16.  What environmental factor(s) affected Hurricane Rita? Discuss.

1-17.  How were human resources functions affected by Hurricane Rita?

1-18.  Do you think the human resources situation described regarding Hurricane Rita would be typical in a disaster? Explain