A major hurricane has swept up the East Coast with heavy rains and 125-mile-per-hour winds from Georgia to Connecticut. Flooding is everywhere. Rivers are roaring over their banks, electricity is out for more than 1,000 square miles, and hundreds of communities have been decimated.

Your company has thousands of policyholders in the affected areas and is prepared to send hundreds of adjusters to begin working on claims. Some are seasoned professionals who worked Katrina and Sandy, as well as Wilma, Rita and Charley. They know the dangers they will encounter, how to prepare and the harsh environment that awaits.

For adjusters who haven't experienced total devastation, it may be hard to imagine. Electricity can be out for days or weeks at a time; water, gasoline, food and other essentials may be difficult to locate. Hotels in the hardest hit areas are damaged and can't be used until they've been cleaned, restored or even rebuilt. Roads and bridges may be washed away, and street signs are probably gone with the wind. A GPS will only be able to take you so far because fallen trees and downed wires will be everywhere. Even flying into an area can be difficult if airports in the immediate vicinity are closed.