Hurricane DR Planning Guide for Louisiana SMBs

Why Louisiana businesses need a different DR plan than everyone else

Louisiana businesses face hurricane risk that most generic disaster recovery planning doesn't account for. A category 3+ storm can shut down access to your office for 2-4 weeks. Even smaller storms cause regional power outages of 5-14 days. And the underlying infrastructure (internet, cellular, banking) can be unreliable for weeks after the storm itself passes.

This guide walks through what a real Louisiana hurricane-season IT plan looks like — based on what's actually worked for Louisiana businesses we've supported through Katrina, Ida, Laura, Delta, Gustav, Ike, and others. It's organized by timeline: what to do annually, what to do as a storm approaches, what to do during the event, and what to do during recovery.

Annual prep (March-May): the work that should already be done before any storm forms

• Cloud-replicate everything that matters. Accounting (QuickBooks Online, Xero), customer data (CRM in the cloud), email (M365 / Google Workspace), payroll (Gusto / ADP), critical files (SharePoint / OneDrive). If your business can't run from a laptop in Houston, you have work to do.
• Verify backup integrity by actually restoring data. Don't trust "the backup completed successfully." Test by restoring a sample of data to a separate environment quarterly.
• Document the run-from-anywhere protocol. What does it take for each employee to work remotely? Are their laptops set up? Do they have VPN access? Are passwords manageable from home? Walk through it and document.
• Hardware survey. What on-premise equipment must survive a flood? Elevate it. Document model and serial numbers for insurance.
• Communication tree. Phone numbers for every employee, their alternate contact (spouse, parent), expected evacuation destinations. Keep an offline copy.
• Vendor list. Critical vendors with account numbers, contact info, and the kind of agreements you have. Keep an offline copy.
• Insurance documentation. Business interruption policy details, deductibles, claims process, contact info for adjusters.

As a storm approaches (T-72 to T-12 hours)

• T-72 hours: Communication tree activated. Every employee acknowledges they've received the storm-prep message. Decision point on whether to close the office and on what date.
• T-48 hours: All work-in-progress files synced to cloud. Critical hardware identified for evacuation. Decisions made on which employees will work remotely vs. be off entirely.
• T-24 hours: Office secured: servers shut down properly (not just powered off), hardware elevated where possible, doors and windows secured per building protocols. Employees who can evacuate, evacuate.
• T-12 hours: Final cloud-sync verification. Communication tree confirms everyone has remote-work setup ready. Last cellular phone call to verify everyone is accounted for.

During the event

• Communications: Cellular often fails during the storm; satellite phones or alternate communication may be required. Cloud-based phone systems continue working as long as someone has internet access.
• Operations: Cloud-hosted critical apps continue running. Employees with internet access can continue most work. Plan for 2-4 days of degraded operations during the immediate storm window.
• Insurance: Document everything that happens — photos of damage, timestamps, witness names. Insurance claims live or die on documentation.

Recovery (T+0 to T+30 days)

• T+1 to T+3 days: Cellular service typically restored in major metropolitan areas (smaller communities take longer). Connect with employees, assess situation, confirm communication continues.
• T+3 to T+7 days: Power restoration begins in priority areas. Internet service follows power. Continue cloud-based operations from wherever employees are.
• T+7 to T+14 days: Building access typically restored for inspection. Begin damage assessment for insurance claims. Most businesses can return to office partial-occupancy.
• T+14 to T+30 days: Full operational restoration for most areas. Lessons-learned debrief — what worked, what didn't, what should change for next year.

The post-Katrina lessons that still matter

The Louisiana businesses that recovered fastest from Katrina shared four characteristics that still apply today:

1. Their data was in the cloud or offsite before the storm. Businesses that lost their on-premise servers in the flood took weeks or months to rebuild operational data. Businesses with cloud-replicated data were operational from temporary locations within days.

2. Their employees could work from anywhere. Businesses tied to a physical office took months to recover. Businesses with laptop-based, cloud-first workflows kept operating from Houston, Birmingham, Memphis — wherever employees evacuated to.

3. Their insurance documentation was current. Businesses with detailed pre-storm asset documentation got claims paid faster and more completely. Businesses without it spent months arguing with adjusters.

4. Their communication tree actually worked. Businesses that had practiced the communication tree could account for every employee within hours of the storm passing. Businesses that hadn't, took days or weeks to even know who was safe.