Tornado and Its Relation to Renewal Theory

Introduction

Discourse of Renewal theory suggests that openness, honesty, and clarity are key value positions in responses to organizational crisis ( Ulmer 2019) . A great example of the discourse of renewal theory occurred in Greensburg Kansas after the town was struck by an EF5 tornado. The tornado demolished 95% of the buildings in the city and left the residence mourning the 11 people that were killed and the devastation that the community just endured. Greensburg was faced with the realization of what rebuilding the community would cost and the sadness of the residents that would be forced to leave. As you can imagine the community was devastated by the tornado and the uncertainty of what was to come.

Greensburg Tornado: Response to Devastation

Greensburg did something that would impact the town and the nation worldwide. They used this tragedy to formulate a plan that would provide hope and breathe new life into this once dying community(Ulmer 2019). Greensboro city administrator Steve Hewitt lost everything he owned in the tornado he was quoted as saying “the tornado had a silver lining, for it made this town and some 1400 people regroup and reinvent itself.“ that’s exactly what Greensburg did when faced with tragedy the community came together and utilized this to change the format for the town for years to come. The common thread amongst the community was that they were more than the buildings that were demolished, the people made the town.

Community leaders gather together and listened to what the citizens were saying and really heard their frustrations about what they were experiencing prior to the tornado. Many citizens Felt that the community was dying because so many of the young people that went off to college never came back because there was so little opportunities for them. There was one Common worry throughout that the population was declining and they wanted their young people to come back home So there community could prosper(Ulmer 2019) “ I mean, it literally struck me, Green, Greensburg, and at the time, I wasn’t aware of just how perfect the timing and the national green movement was” Danny Wallach stated. It was through all these meetings that Greensburg decided to go green which ironically was during the national green movement(Ulmer 2019).

Having a plan was the easy part implementing it would show to be difficult. This is a true testament to the town and how they brought about change that would impact the entire world and the green movement. Crisis is occur on a daily basis sometimes in big catastrophic events other times and small daily events. How we go about handling those tragedies defines who we are. In the case of Greensburg they are defined as a community that reinvented themselves and help to turn their town into eco-friendly environment. Throughout their experience Greensburg was open and honest with the challenges they faced by having cameras document the rejuvenation of Greensburg. They had a clear vision Of what they wanted for their town and the residences. They utilized all the key factors in the discourse of renewal process (US tornadoes 2017).

Conclusion

In a time of complete tragedy Greensburg crisis could’ve been more catastrophic than what the Eye could see. Where the country focused on lives lost, buildings and homes that were destroyed Greensburg residences looked at their people (US tornadoes 2017). The realization that the town is what they will make of it provided them with strength and the endurance to rebuild better than they could’ve imagined. Greensburg will forever be on the map as a community that effectively stood together and had unbreakable strength encourage to rebuild in the devastation of the rubble.

References

1. Ulmer, Robert R., et al. Effective Crisis Communication: Moving from Crisis to Opportunity. SAGE Publications, 2019.
2. U.S. Tornadoes. “May 4, 2007: The Night That Made Maps of Greensburg, Kansas Have to Be Redrawn.” U.S. Tornadoes, 5 May 2017, www.ustornadoes.com/2017/05/04/may-4-2007-night-maps-greensburg-kansas-redrawn/.