Ian aftermath even harder to fix with supply chain tattered

Abstract

People walk on a flooded street at a trailer park following Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers, Florida, US, on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. Ian tore a path of destruction across Florida, leaving more than 2 million homes and businesses without power, after landing as one of the strongest storms to hit the US. Residences, bridges and other infrastructure are in ruin, with damage estimates ranging from $65 billion to $100 billion, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said it will take years to recover. "Across the board, we are seeing challenges in obtaining all types of building materials in a reliable time frame," said Steve Cona III, president of Associated Builders and Contractors' Florida Gulf Coast chapter. Damage in Florida's Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties is "Devastating," and it will take substantial time and resources to rebuild, Cona said. 'Some Constraints'Home Depot Inc. teams on the ground in Florida are assessing damage to homes, which will help the company better understand what they might need to supply to Florida sites, said Pete Capel, head of emergency operations for the retailer. Scott Harris of North American Public Adjusters Insurance Claims Consultants in Cape Coral, Florida, said he's concerned about the possibility of severe delays in getting such rebuilding materials as lumber, drywall, tile and shingles. "There are only so many contractors and so much building machinery and material."Darryl Davis, an adjuster for more than 30 years, said his company - DDavis & Associates Inc., in Coral Springs, Florida - has fielded a couple dozen calls for adjustments so far, and expects that figure to grow exponentially as residents regain mobile-phone service.