Adam Kangiser, Iviry’s Compliance Analyst
Natural disasters, including hurricanes, floods, and wildfires, can strike at any moment, leaving businesses vulnerable to operational disruptions and costly damages. The time to start preparing isn’t when a hurricane or a natural disaster arrives, you’ll want to have your plans in place far in advance to protect your business.
In 2025, the U.S. has already experienced multiple billion-dollar weather events, and as hurricane season approaches, it’s critical for organizations to be prepared. Hurricanes, in particular, can cause severe damage to infrastructure, flood entire regions, and leave businesses inoperable for days or even weeks. The ability to respond quickly and recover efficiently is vital to minimizing the impact on both daily operations and the bottom line.
The Impact of Natural Disasters on Businesses
When disaster strikes, businesses face more than just physical damage. Data loss, extended downtime, and supply chain disruptions can cripple operations. Hurricane season, for example, often results in significant business interruptions, as seen with Hurricane Laura in 2020, which caused more than $14 billion in damages and took weeks for businesses to recover.
Beyond the immediate damage, businesses can suffer from lost revenue, deteriorating customer trust, and the cost of restoring normal operations. The longer it takes to recover, the greater the long-term financial burden.
Key Elements of Disaster Recovery and Incident Response
A well-prepared disaster recovery and incident response plan helps businesses respond effectively and resume operations faster. Here’s what every organization should include:
- Risk Assessment: Identify which natural disasters, like hurricanes, floods, or wildfires, pose the greatest risk to your business based on your location. Tailor your recovery efforts to address these specific threats.
- Data Backup: Ensure critical data is regularly backed up and stored off-site or in the cloud. Having immediate access to your data post-disaster can significantly reduce downtime and help restore normal business functions quickly.
- Business Continuity Planning: Establish plans that ensure essential business functions continue despite disruptions. This includes setting up remote work capabilities, alternate supply chains, and identifying key processes that cannot be interrupted.
- Incident Response Protocols: Define clear roles and responsibilities during a disaster. Having a structured plan for communication and emergency response ensures that your team acts quickly and effectively when needed.
- Regular Testing and Drills: Regularly test your disaster recovery plan with simulated scenarios to ensure that your team knows exactly what to do when a real disaster occurs.
Preparing for Hurricane Season
With hurricane season looming, businesses in affected regions need to act quickly to minimize their risk. These storms bring heavy winds, flooding, and power outages, making it critical to prepare ahead of time. Here’s how businesses can ensure they’re ready:
- As hurricane season approaches, review your disaster recovery and business continuity plans. Make sure they’re up to date and specific to the risks posed by hurricanes.
- Ensure your office buildings and equipment are fortified against strong winds and flooding. For businesses in flood-prone areas, elevate equipment and inventory above potential water levels.
- Make sure employees know how to reach each other during an emergency. Set up communication channels to keep everyone informed about the status of the business and any changes to operations.
- Ensure that employees can work remotely if necessary. Secure access to data and systems through VPNs or cloud solutions to maintain productivity.
The Importance of Technology in Disaster Recovery
Modern technology plays a critical role in disaster recovery. Cloud services, automated data backups, and remote access solutions make it easier to quickly restore operations and minimize downtime. These technologies allow businesses to maintain continuity even when physical locations are compromised by disaster events.
Moreover, cloud-based systems enable employees to access critical systems from anywhere, so if a hurricane or other disaster forces employees to work from home or evacuate, they can continue working seamlessly.
Staying Prepared for the Unexpected
Natural disasters, particularly during hurricane season, are inevitable. But with the right planning and preparation, businesses can mitigate the impact of these events. Ensuring that your disaster recovery and incident response plans are well-documented, up-to-date, and regularly tested can mean the difference between a quick recovery and prolonged downtime.
By assessing risks, backing up data, and preparing employees for remote work, businesses can stay resilient in the face of natural disasters. The goal is to ensure that when the unexpected happens, you can keep operations running smoothly and recover quickly.
