Before the Storm: How Facility Owners Can Reduce Damage and Accelerate Hurricane Recovery

  • 7 min read

By: Jay Frisco, Architect

Property owners and facility managers know firsthand how devastating hurricanes can be. As architects, we have been involved with many hurricane recovery projects and have seen that even a mild storm can cause major problems. Despite this, a May 2026 U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation survey found that 69% of small- and medium-sized businesses had no disaster plan. While the 2026 hurricane season has started slowly, we know it is never a matter of if a storm hits, but when.

The silver lining is that modern forecasting continues to become more accurate, giving us a vital heads-up. While we cannot control quick turns or rapid intensification, we can control how we react, or better, how we prepare early for the storm itself and its chaotic aftermath. But preparation only works if you actually take the steps to do so. Alarmingly:

  • As much as 66% of property owners and businesses do not have a full understanding of the specific disaster profile of their region and approximately 80% do not maintain a disaster budget.
  • Roughly 1/3 of small- to medium-sized businesses cannot pay workers past one month following a major disruption in their business.
  • Roughly 43% of policyholders, whether home or business properties, do not have a clear understanding of what their policies do and do not cover and many assume certain coverages are included in their standard policies.

For developers, business owners, and facility managers responsible for large or complex properties, preparation is more than boarding up windows and stocking supplies. It includes knowing the condition of each building, protecting critical systems, establishing recovery priorities, and assembling the records and professional team needed to move quickly after the storm.

An informed property owner or facility manager helps make for a prepared organization. We therefore offer these top ten preparation steps based on our experiences for larger commercial properties, healthcare facilities, university campuses, municipal buildings, and smaller properties to be as ready as they can be when the need arises.

Prep Item 1 – COMPILE COMPREHENSIVE DOCUMENTATION Detailed pre-storm records expedite insurance recovery by removing ambiguity about your property’s condition.

  • Visual Evidence: Take detailed photos and descriptions of the site, buildings, and contents.
  • Proof of Ownership: Gather deeds, utility bills, and ID to prove legal property rights.
  • Secure / Accessible Storage: Save digital copies to the cloud to protect against physical loss.

PREP ITEM 2 – VERIFY AND UPDATE INSURANCE Review your policies before a storm to avoid costly coverage gaps and claim delays.

  • Policy Review: Check all property policies for specific storm impacts and rules.
  • Coverage Limits: Confirm exact exclusions, processes, and differences between multiple properties.
  • Deductibles & Relief: Understand your deductibles and how policies interact with FEMA or flood assistance.
  • Property Values: Get updated appraisals with your agent to ensure full valuation.
  • Flood Maps: Check recent map updates to see if your flood risk has changed.

PREP ITEM 3 – ASSESS, REPAIR, MAINTAIN Identify and mitigate structural risks early to help prevent storm failure and insurance denials.

  • Property Assessment: Inspect for wear, old damage, or deterioration that could cause storm failure.
  • Prioritize Repairs: Fix critical vulnerabilities immediately to mitigate risks.
  • Maintain Warranties: Keep building components serviced to preserve active warranty coverage.
  • Protect Openings: Focus heavily on reinforcing roofing, windows, and doors.

PREP ITEM 4 – SECURE THE PROPERTY Clear and tie down outdoor items to prevent structural damage and liability issues.

  • Tree Maintenance: Trim branches away from buildings and remove loose or dead wood.
  • Secure Objects: Tie down or anchor loose site structures like sheds and fences.
  • Move Indoors: Bring smaller, unanchored outdoor items inside a protected area.

PREP ITEM 5 – PRE-, DURING-, AND POST-STORM PROTOCOLS / PLANNING A clear action plan reduces chaos and ensures your team knows how to react.

  • Evacuation Triggers: Define clear timelines and specific conditions for sheltering in place versus evacuating.
  • Communication Plan: Establish a network with preset check-in times and template messages for updates.
  • Role Delegation: Assign specific emergency tasks to each group member with strict deadlines.
  • Dependency Risks: Evaluate how vendor, utility, or supply chain failures will impact your operations.
  • Continuity Strategy: Create a backup operating model to survive extended power or business downtime.

PREP ITEM 6 – CHECK AND PROTECT CRITICAL SYSTEMS So much important information is digital.  Ensure critical systems are operational and backed up.

  • Emergency Power: Test and service backup generators or alternative power systems.
  • Surge Protection: Install whole-building or individual surge protectors to shield sensitive electronics.
  • Emergency Shut-offs: Locate and label all main utility valves and electrical switches.
  • Security Systems: Confirm security cameras, alarms, and battery backups work correctly.
  • Data Backups: Save files to cloud storage or portable drives for mobile evacuation.
  • Restart Protocols: Document the correct sequential steps to safely reboot systems after shutdowns.

PREP ITEM 7 – PRE AND POST-STORM EMERGENCY KITS Maintain a customized emergency kit to survive the storm and handle immediate aftermath repairs.

  • Essential Supplies: Stock fresh water, non-perishable food, flashlights, batteries, tools, and prescription medicines.
  • Hygiene & Sanitation: Store personal hygiene products, sanitation gear, and chemical water treatments.
  • Opening Protection: Gather plywood, anchors, or shutters to secure doors and windows.
  • Vehicle Readiness: Fuel and service all evacuation or utility vehicles in advance.
  • Cash & Records: Keep emergency cash and physical copies of vital documents in waterproof bags.
  • Recovery Tools: Stash post-storm recovery gear like chainsaws, tarps, and heavy gloves safely.

PREP ITEM 8 – FINANCIAL PLANNING AND CASH READINESS Many services may be unavailable.  Have a financial contingency plan in place.

  • Cash Reserve: Determine a physical cash reserve or way to gain cash if necessary.
  • Immediate Recovery Funds: have funds set aside that can be accessed immediately.
  • Secure Account Access: Have backups and account numbers stored securely for authorized and protected access.
  • Emergency Credit: Pre-plan for emergency lines of credit with credit card companies, banks or others for temporary lodging, business operations and expenses, personal and business transactions, supplies and payroll.
  • Secure Fund Transfers: Establish protected methods of transfer of funds for emergency services and companies.

PREP ITEM 9 – PRE-QUALIFIED/SELECTED CONTRACTOR, VENDOR, AND CONSULTANT NETWORK Establish a vetted vendor network early to secure rapid assistance and bypass the post-storm rush.

  • Pre-Select Vendors: Interview and select contractors, engineers, and specialized consultants in advance.
  • Retainer Contracts: Pre-negotiate contracts and project scopes to block price-gouging and lock in priority.
  • Scam Avoidance: Screen strictly for licensing and insurance to avoid opportunistic, unlicensed scammers.

PREP ITEM 10 – BE MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY PREPARED Prepare your mind and your inner circle to handle crisis stress with calm focus.

  • Focus Control: Focus completely on actionable tasks and accept things outside your control.
  • Trust the Plan: Stick closely to your prepared checklists to eliminate panic and indecision.
  • Stress Management: Practice grounding techniques and remain calm to reassure your team.
  • Prioritize Safety: Protect personal health and physical safety above all material items.
  • Filter Information: Block out rumors by monitoring only official, trusted emergency channels.

The steps listed really just scratch the surface of how deep one can get into planning. While this is not a one-size-fits-all list, it represents the basics and tips we have heard from some of our past clients. Whether you manage a single property, a business, a campus, or a portfolio of municipal facilities, these steps can be scaled and customized to fit your operational needs.

Many larger organizations such as town and city governments, universities, and some larger businesses owning multiple properties have protocols in place.  Many more do not, or have only limited planning in place. AQ Studios has been engaged for years helping new and repeat clients in South Louisiana address and recover from issues after storms. From Lake Charles to New Orleans, we have worked with state and local government agencies, universities, and other public and private property owners through the chaos of recovery.

Our team has experience navigating complex insurance and FEMA regulations, assessing structural damage and building envelopes, and delivering fast repair designs. We have also helped clients audit their property conditions, identify vulnerabilities and help them repair and renovate their properties before the next storm. Reach out to AQ Studios if we can be of assistance to you.

Review, research, plan and stay safe this hurricane season.