Spinning business stories from hurricane coverage

NASA satellite image of Hurricane Earl approaching the East Coast. By Flickr user NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

As Hurricane Earl whirls toward East Coast resorts, it’s a good reminder that three full months remain in the 2010 hurricane season – which AccuWeather had predicted in June might be one of the toughest on record.

Even if your readers aren’t in the path of the storm, the effect of a Labor Day weekend disruption will ripple nationwide.  This Washington Post article includes a handy graphic showing the likely path of the storm over the next couple of days -  and Weather.com has a front-page, frequently updated hurricane bulletin on its site.

Clearly, Labor Day tourism is at stake.  AAA had predicted a 9-percent upswing for the mid-Atlantic region, according to this article from the Richmond Times-Dispatch.  But now, with evacuations under way from offshore islands and other resorts, a hoped-for boost could turn into a bust for the hospitality industry.

If you’re in one of those markets, you’re probably on the story right now.  If you aren’t, chances are you still can find some local ties to Hurricane Earl.  You may have area residents who rent out their East Coast vacation homes – CAR-savvy journalists can comb online property-tax records in coastal towns to see if any residents in your market own beach-town property from afar.  Insurance agents and realtors in target communities might help, as well – or post a cyber-query on your news organization’s website.

This MSNBC article notes that – stung by hurricane losses – State Farm canceled policies in some storm-prone areas of Florida; the cancellations were set to take effect August 1 – so  be aware that property owners in your market may have had to scurry recently for alternative coverage or otherwise face insurance difficulties.  And if your region is home ot the headquarters of any large insurers, take a look at hits they’ve incurred this year from storms and other disasters.

Caribbean cruises are threatened by the storm, as this USAT article points out. You might put out calls to area travel agents, asking about disruptions.  And this is another opportunity to do a consumer piece about travel insurance, refund policies and other personal finance angles.

Check with airlines about the ripple effect of flight disruptions – Continental already has announced rerouting options for passengers scheduled through affected airports.   Check with carriers that serve your region for similar bulletins and ask about the ripple on staffing, aircraft maintenance, food service and more.

Backlogs will affect airports nationwide, not just the ones in the path of the storm.  And don’t forget about the effects on mail and cargo as well as passengers.  Are any time-sensitive shipments – from fresh food to biological materials – in danger?  What’s the re-route plan? This is a great opportunity to quiz freight firms and all of those other obscure yet interesting supply-chain companies with operations adjacent to your local airfield. The International Air Cargo Association may be able to direct you to members in your region.

If you’re near a seaport or home to an industry dependent upon one, check in on cargo vessels.

And as the action unfolds, keep an eye on whether storm damage presents any business opportunities for companies in your area, from engineering firms to retailers who will supply plywood and other remediation materials.  Skilled trades workers, relief agencies, helicopter pilots and others often are in hot demand, as we have seen with Hurricane Katrina, the Haiti earthquake, the Gulf oil spill and other epic disasters.

This interesting if somewhat arcane article from SupplyChainer.com outlines the Hilton chain’s hurricane plans for its hotels; the article is a couple of years old but the detail on how the chain plans ahead for everything from hurricane staffing to adequate laundry supplies will provide fodder for executives you interview.  This is one way you can tie your coverage to Hurricane Earl even if you’re a continent away – by asking local companies what their worst-case-scenario planning involves.  A profile of the risk management officers and their myriad duties would make for some interesting reading.