"From cleanup crews to powerline techs, these are the workers called in after catastrophe."
"When a disaster strikes, be it a hurricane, flood, wildfire, or other type of extreme weather, an army of workers assemble. They arrive in waves to ravaged areas ready to respond.
First in are the personnel trained to navigate the immediate crisis. Emergency managers run local shelters and coordinate on-the-ground response efforts, medics provide urgent medical care for those in need, and police, firefighters, and other public safety workers conduct search and rescue. Next, the skilled tradespeople show up, ready to restore and repair. Crews of utility linemen reconnect downed power lines, wastewater technicians fix damaged sewage infrastructure, and debris removal workers clear blocked roads and waterways.
Relief workers representing federal agencies, nonprofits, and humanitarian groups set up services to provide things like shelter, food, and water. And then there are crisis counselors, animal rescue units, hazmat crews, contractors, environmental scientists, and many others.
A legion of essential jobs contribute to America’s disaster workforce. As the world burns, floods, and melts around us, those jobs — and the people who do them — have never been more important."
Ayurella Horn-Muller reports for Grist September 22, 2025. This story is part of The Disaster Economy, a Grist series exploring the often chaotic, lucrative world of disaster response and recovery. It is published with support from the CO2 Foundation.
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Landing page for "The Disaster Economy" series (Grist)
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