Hurricane Preparedness in New Orleans: Business Technology Guide for 2025

Living in Louisiana offers many advantages—its vibrant culture, strong community, and thriving business scene—but hurricane season remains a reminder of nature’s unpredictability. As we mark the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, we also recognize how the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped how businesses prepare for disruptions. The lessons learned from both crises emphasize the need for agility, continuity planning, and robust technology infrastructure.

Remote Readiness for Hurricane Preparedness 

Before COVID-19, many businesses lacked full remote work capabilities. The pandemic accelerated digital transformation, forcing companies to implement virtual collaboration tools, cloud-based systems, and secure remote access solutions. These advancements have made hurricane preparedness easier, as many businesses now have the infrastructure to continue operations even if physical offices become inaccessible.

To summarize, here is a quick checklist of considerations to go through when going remote:

• Email: Is your system cloud based or still reliant on on-premise servers?
• Business Applications: Hosted in the cloud or on-premise? If on-premise, how do I get into it? Ensure remote access is available.
• Data Storage: Is shared data accessible from cloud platforms?
• Team Collaboration: Microsoft Teams, Email, rely on in-person communication?
• Physical Servers: If you are not set up in an ideal environment, how are you getting to your server? Have secure, redundant access in case of outages.
• Cybersecurity: Strengthen protections for increased remote access demands.
• SSL VPN Access: Do you have enough licenses? Can your firewall handle this load? Ensure adequate licensing and firewall capacity.
• Internet Redundancy: Consider backup internet solutions to prevent disruptions.

Actionable Steps Before a Hurricane

It’s impossible to know what to fully expect when a hurricane is coming, but we want to help you prepare your business. Here are some actionable steps and technology considerations to take leading up to a hurricane.

• Develop a comprehensive disaster recovery plan, accounting for worst-case scenarios.
• Ensure you have an inventory of all the technology assets.
• Ensure IT consultants have network documentation readily available.
• Store critical business data offsite to prevent permanent data loss.
• Regularly test backups. Ask your IT team to verify that the backup is intact, and your data can be recovered in the case of a disaster.
• Identify which parts of your operation can work remotely in the case of an outage or office closures.
• Verify that employees can work remotely if needed.
• Communicate with staff extended closure protocols, so they understand what the procedure is if you are unable to return to the office for days or weeks.
• Provide employees with a computer equipment checklist.
• Practice working remotely. While many businesses have an idea of how to work remote, working out the kinks before a potential outage is critical.
• Ensure your IT team or IT partner is prepared for rapid response after a storm.
• Set up call forwarding or cloud-based systems for ongoing customer communication.

Technology Preparations for the Day Before a Hurricane

As the storm approaches, take the following steps to protect essential technology assets.

• Move computers and other computer equipment off the floor to prevent flood damage.
• Shut down and unplug all computers and office equipment.
• Power off printers or any other accessories.
• Unplug Ethernet cables from computers or docking stations.
• Wrap essential equipment in plastic coverings for protection.
• Coordinate with IT to schedule a controlled shutdown of servers.
• Consider getting a wireless internet failover. Your main coax or fiber line may have outages; having a backup internet option could be the missing link to keep your operation moving

Hurricane Preparedness in New Orleans: Lessons from Hurricane Katrina & COVID 19

Hurricane Katrina demonstrated the importance of disaster preparedness, while COVID-19 reinforced the value of remote work adaptability. Businesses in 2025 are better equipped than ever before, but readiness remains key. By applying lessons from these past crises, companies can ensure continuity, minimize downtime, and emerge stronger after the storm.

Proactive planning will help your business withstand challenges—just as New Orleans has done time and time again. As an IT provider in New Orleans, we can help you prepare your business for hurricane season. Contact us to learn more.