Sandy is on pace to attract the third-highest amount of disaster loans in U.S. history, behind only Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the 1994 Northridge earthquake.

WSJ: Aid Shows Sandy's Reach

What made the Gulf situation so frustrating however is that a certain amount of unnecessary complexity may have contributed to the disaster in the first place and afterwards made it harder to resolve.

FORBES: Let's Not Compound Complexity

Following this disaster, the industrialized world pledged an unprecedented amount of money to help.

FORBES: Getting Beyond 'Stingy'

"We'll do what we have to do, but we have a pretty hefty amount of money in the disaster relief fund, " said House Appropriations Committee Chairman Harold Rogers, R-Ky.

WSJ: No new funds needed for Okla. tornado recovery

Immediately following a disaster, a community can become easily overwhelmed by the amount of generous people who want to help.

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