Hurricanes can be expensive and disruptive to city operations.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has reported a rise of expensive “billion-dollar” hurricanes in recent decades, or storms that have cost $1 billion in damages to the United States. In 2023, two of these events were tropical cyclones, including Hurricane Idalia, a Category 4 storm that brought major destruction to Florida and touched South Carolina.
Beyond the insurance headaches these storms create, they can also disrupt a city’s ability to sustain services for its residents and businesses. When preparing for hurricane season, there are a number of items that cities and towns should check:
Understand the city’s property coverage contract.
This involves the valuation of covered property — especially whether the asset values are up to date — as well as any contractual limits that exist in the coverage. Cities should look at deductibles and loss-reporting requirements, since these rules can be complex in the case of catastrophic losses.
Officials should know if a flood event is covered, and if it is excluded at any specific locations. They should also know specifically how “storm surge” is defined in the contract; how the contract addresses the costs of business interruption, like revenue or extra expenses; any restrictions the coverage places on the timing and location of rebuilding; and deadline requirements on filing proof of loss.
Understand the city’s exposure to hurricane losses and ways to improve property security.
Identify properties that might be exposed to hurricane damage, and what potential service interruptions could occur as a result of this damage. Cities can take several steps to reduce property damage when a hurricane approaches:
- Relocate high-value assets such as fire trucks, fleet vehicles or other equipment away from low-lying, flood-prone areas until the storm passes.
- Secure facility doors and board up windows to protect from flying debris.
- Remove or secure outdoor items to prevent them from becoming flying objects in high winds.
- Clear rain gutters and downspouts and check drain pumps.
Evaluate business continuity, emergency response and crisis management plans.
This involves reviewing business continuity plans and making any necessary updates, as well as crisis management procedures that escalate as storm disruptions become more severe. Leaders should consider the potential impacts of a direct or indirect hit from a hurricane on their residents, their employees and the vendors they would need in a storm recovery, and how they will communicate with each of these groups. They should also work to establish coordinated response procedures with other local government agencies and emergency services. Cities should consider preventive maintenance on backup resources, like power generators.
Plan for employee safety.
Officials should consider employee evacuation and notification plans, including emergency contact lists. They should arrange for employees to work remotely when appropriate, and make sure that employees who need to remain on site during a storm have current contact lists, as well as needed emergency supplies such as potable water, nonperishable food, first-aid kits, flashlights, hand-held radios or cell phones.
Evaluate claims preparation and management issues.
Municipal staff should also review and update procedures and responsibilities for gathering and processing insurance claims information. They should secure and duplicate vital financial records — both paper and digital — at a site secure from flood and wind damage. Maintain detailed tracking of all documentation requests, such as what was requested, who requested it, who is responsible to respond, and when and to whom the information was sent.
For questions on hurricane planning, response and recovery issues, contact losscontrol@masc.sc. Learn more in the South Carolina Hurricane Guide of the Emergency Management Division online.