TOPSHOT - David Hester inspects damages of his house after Hurricane Helene made landfall in ... [ ] Horseshoe Beach, Florida, on September 28, 2024. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP) (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)

If Hurricanes Helene and Milton haven't already got you thinking about the long and unpredictable reach of natural disasters, maybe this example will. Damage from Hurricane Helene shut down a factory in western North Carolina that is the country's largest supplier of fluids for IV drips and dialysis. The owner, Baxter International, says it will spare no expense to reopen, but bridges to the site are out, the plant is covered in mud and its 2,500 employees are struggling to stabilize their lives. Hospitals nationwide are facing shortages, and some are considering cancelling elective surgeries.

Now, as Hurricane Milton approaches Florida, federal officials are rushing to preserve the supply of IV solution from B. Braun’s factory in Daytona Beach.

In short:........

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