Part of being vigilant and protecting your own job is to be aware of your environment. The closure of a single large plant can have a ripple effect in the community as people are laid off and either reduce their spending for non-essentials or simply move away to pursue opportunities in other communities.
The hardest hits are the direct subcontractors and vendors to the closed plant whose loss of business or inability to collect on their overdue accounts might result in layoffs of their own.
The next hardest hits are the restaurants, convenience stores, and personal service vendors located in proximity to the stricken plant or on the main roads leading into the plant. Furniture and electronics stores are also impacted. Large box discount retailers often see a drop in total business that is sometimes offset by new customers trading brand-name shopping and convenience for lower prices.
Be continually aware of what is happening in your state, industry, company, and community and their potential impacts they may have on your employment.