How a CMMS can help you prepare for hurricane season

According to the Office for Coastal Management, out of the 310 natural disasters since 1980 that cost more than $1 billion in damages, hurricanes caused the most damage. With an average of $20.5 billion per event, hurricanes totaled more than $1.1 trillion over the past three decades.

One thing’s clear: The potential impact of hurricanes can be catastrophic.

Hurricanes do not equate to an average day at work for maintenance operations teams. They can cause damage for several hundred miles, move airborne debris, bring down trees and power lines, and even collapse buildings. If you’re responsible for facilities and a storm hits, you need a game plan.

While M&O managers can’t eliminate the risks associated with hurricanes, you can install preventive maintenance programs that can safeguard against the dangers and costs of the storm itself, as well as flooding, landslides and other destructive offshoots.

But if you’re relying on outdated paper-based systems to track workflows and asset health, you might be missing out on that eye-like calm that can keep operations moving smoothly.

With the threat of hurricanes impacting so many regions of the U.S. — it is critical that organizations prepare with a maintenance management solution that not only helps mitigate potential damage but has the potential to ensure the continuity of business.

Hurricanes hit hard on U.S. coastlines

Areas such as Florida, Texas, North Carolina and Louisiana have always seen higher numbers of hurricane events, but now more and more states are becoming hurricane zones. Research from The National Hurricane Center And Central Pacific Hurricane Center found that Massachusetts, New York and many states along the coastlines of the Southeast have seen increased hurricane events in recent years.

The severity of storms has grown as well. Recent hurricanes Michael, Harvey and Irma are in the top 10 most damaging in U.S. history. Those events have left billions of dollars in damages, as 2021 data from the Office for Coastal Management indicates:

• In 2021, there were 20 separate billion-dollar hurricane disasters, totaling $145 billion, making it the third costliest year in U.S. history.
• 2021 marked the seventh consecutive year with more than 10 hurricane events in the U.S., resulting in over $1 billion in damages.
• The two most economically devastating hurricanes in U.S. history occurred in the last two decades, with Katrina ($161 billion) and Harvey ($125 billion).

With so many more areas across the country positioned in the path of hurricanes, it has never been more critical to implement preventive maintenance programs with disaster response and recovery plans.

How a CMMS helps preparation and response to hurricanes

Your organization’s recovery depends on your preparation and speed of response. With a CMMS, you’re armed with the tools you need to be better prepared for, and respond to, hurricane events by:

• Ensuring precautionary measures are taken in advance
• Preparing an emergency plan with a detailed checklist
• Alerting staff and allocating separate responsibilities efficiently
• Tracking all your assets
• Recording the impact of damage and help in planning maintenance activities

Your CMMS solution may prove to be your greatest asset during hurricane emergencies for all maintenance-related problems. This is where Brightly can help.

Our CMMS software has helped over 12,000 organizations prepare for emergencies and reduce their risks when — and where — they need it most.

To learn more about how Brightly can help with your business continuity plans for hurricane events, schedule a free custom demo. But for more information on your planning ahead to get your operations ready for whatever the future holds, check out our downloadable Emergency Preparedness Checklist.

If hurricanes aren't native to your area, check out our emergency preparedness tips for floods, fires, and tornadoes.