The severity of the weather during the past month is startling. Hurricanes Harvey and Irma are breathtaking examples that we are all at the mercy of Mother Nature, no matter how far technology has advanced.

But technology can help mitigate the worst of a storm’s impact, and it can save lives. This slideshow, put together mostly between the two devastating storms, shows how entrepreneurial thinking, innovation and selflessness can make things better, covering how organizations reacted and telecommunications products that helped.

If we can learn a major lesson, it’s that nothing is more important than planning ahead. What can be done once the winds start howling and the rain starts falling is limited. Lexography suggests that attention be paid to employee safety. Some crucial steps: Create a comprehensive emergency action plan, make sure employees are familiar with the plan, recognize both short-term and long-term dangers employees face, ensure that employees are trained, review regulations before assigning cleanup tasks, and assess the safety records of independent contractors hired for the cleanup.