The Joplin community is intimately familiar with the enormity of devastation a tornado can cause. Two years ago, a mile-wide EF5 ripped through the Missouri town, claiming 161 lives and injuring hundreds more. The twister would generate $2.8 billion in claims, but it would also teach us many lessons about resilience and the human spirit.

The people I met while there for the one-year anniversary of the twister were survivors in the purest sense of the word. Their kindness, their stories and their tears touched me. The experience continues to motivate us here at Claims, and drive those in the field to strive for excellence in claims handling.

Because part of what makes our industry great is the camaraderie between claims professionals, as well as the dedication and selflessness of those working in the trenches. In true Joplin fashion, city officials quickly dispatched a group of public safety employees to tornado-stricken Moore, Oklahoma, less than 24 hours after a powerful twister tore through the town, killing at least 24 people. Joplin organized a team of close to a dozen police and firefighters to lend a helping hand. There is comfort in knowing that, amid the debris and devastation, there is solidarity and hope. I invite you to revisit our coverage of Joplin on PropertyCasualty.com and stay tuned for ongoing developments about Moore, Okla. and the other areas affected by last month's storms.