U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Advanced Manufacturing Office – Hurricane Ready

Preparation Steps

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused extensive damage to many industrial sites in the Gulf.

The following steps are adapted from the FEMA Emergency Management Guide for Business and Industry (PDF 356 KB). The guide is designed to help businesses and industrial plants plan, prepare, and implement a hurricane response. Download Adobe Reader.

Steps in Preparing for a Hurricane

1) Establish a Planning Team

• Choose a leader and staff based on their skills and capabilities.
• Assign specific tasks to either individuals and/or teams.

2) Analyze Capabilities and Hazards

• Assess current preparations, potential risks, impacts of power failures and structural damage, and ways to mitigate damage.
• To prepare for flooding, contact your local floodplain manager or other official to learn your risks; use flood-resistant building materials; erect physical barriers, anchor tanks and other structures.
• To prepare for high winds, reinforce roof and siding panels; cover windows and doors; anchor tanks; remove loose objects from your site.
• Have emergency backup power—e.g., a generator, battery storage, or combined heat and power (CHP) system; obtain utility contact information for power outages.

3) Develop your Plan

• Plan for before, during, and after an emergency; establish protocols for employees' safety and site readiness.
• Prioritize a list of site preparations; update emergency power and supply options.
• Establish emergency communications systems and backups.
• Establish staff responsibilities and procedures for shutdown, recovery, and restart.
• Develop an evacuation plan, including support for employees.
• Establish procedures to shut down utility and process operations safely.
• Find ways to protect records, materials, and inventory.
• Update your list of contacts for before, during, and after the emergency.

4) Implement your Plan

• Track the storm's path and intensity through the National Hurricane Center.
• Stay in touch with your state's emergency operations center.
• Stay in touch with corporate headquarters, other plants, employees, customers, and suppliers.
• Carry out procedures for site preparation, emergency backup, shutdown, and evacuation.

5) Recover

• Assess damages and prioritize repairs.
• Communicate with energy providers about restoring energy supplies.
• Locate critical personnel (skilled electricians, construction workers, maintenance staff, operators) to help get the plant up and running.
• Locate staff and return them to the site when provisions are available.
• Acquire replacement parts and materials and transport them to the site.
• Request assistance from utilities, state organizations, relief organizations.
• If you produce materials critical to restoration, coordinate with Emergency Operations Centers.