Practical steps to prepare documentation, protect critical assets, and support recovery

Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30, with peak activity typically occurring around September 10, according to the National Hurricane Center. Seasonal outlooks can help frame risk, but they do not predict whether a specific community will be affected. Local governments need to prepare for the storm that reaches them, regardless of total seasonal activity.

That risk extends well beyond the coast. In 2024, Hurricane Helene disrupted critical water and wastewater systems across western North Carolina, damaging treatment facilities, utility infrastructure, roads, and access routes. In some communities, power, communications, and access were limited while local leaders and response teams worked to restore essential services. The experience reinforced a practical lesson: current condition records, accessible backups, and disciplined documentation can help communities make decisions and support recovery when normal operations are disrupted.

Why Documentation Matters

Recovery begins with a clear record of what existed before the storm, what the storm damaged, and what work was required afterward. FEMA’s Public Assistance site inspection guidance explains that inspections validate incident-related damage, the facility and its location, the cause and dimensions of the damage, and the work needed to restore it to its pre-disaster condition.

Current asset records, maintenance histories, photographs, contracts, and cost documentation help staff distinguish disaster-related damage from pre-existing conditions and respond to information requests. These records do not guarantee eligibility or reimbursement, but they provide a clearer and more defensible account of the event.

Start before a storm is named. Clear responsibilities and organized baseline records can save critical time when conditions change, and information requests begin to arrive.

Before the Storm

Put People and Responsibilities in Place

Assign a primary documentation lead and a backup before an event. Make clear who will collect field information, maintain financial records, approve purchases, coordinate with insurers, and serve as the point of contact for funding agencies. Support those roles with a current emergency contact list that includes staff, contractors, insurance representatives, mutual aid partners, and key local, state, and federal agency contacts.

Review mutual aid agreements, emergency contracts, decision-making authority, and communication procedures with the people who will use them. Staff should know whom they can call, what support is already available, and who can authorize work when normal processes are disrupted. WithersRavenel disaster preparation provides additional guidance on partnerships, agreements, policies, and staff readiness.

Create a Record of Current Infrastructure

Build a prioritized inventory of the facilities, infrastructure, equipment, and locations that may need rapid assessment. For each asset, record ownership, location, the responsible department, known vulnerabilities, and available condition information. An established infrastructure asset management program can give local leaders a stronger baseline for planning, response, and recovery.

Photograph critical assets before a storm. Capture wide views that establish the location and close-up images that show existing conditions. Retain the original files with date, time, and location information whenever possible. Pair those images with as-built plans, surveys, inspection reports, work orders, maintenance histories, and condition assessments. A current asset inventory makes it easier to establish what was present and how it was maintained before the event.

Store location-based information in a form staff can use in the field and at the emergency operations center. Geographic information systems (GIS) can connect photographs, inspections, work orders, and other records to individual assets. For larger areas or hard-to-reach sites, remote sensing can help document baseline conditions and support post-storm comparisons. Communities should also inventory supplies and organization-owned equipment, including make, model, serial number, capacity, location, condition, and estimated replacement cost where applicable.

Prepare Financial and Compliance Records

Keep property, flood, and other applicable insurance policies current and accessible. Identify the points of contact for each policy, understand the information required to report a claim, and store policy documents with the corresponding facility or asset records.

Review procurement, personnel, overtime, and emergency purchasing policies before an event. Confirm who can authorize purchases and what documentation is required. FEMA recommends preparing procurement procedures and contract documents before a disaster. Also retain dated records showing adoption of applicable codes and standards.

Confirm the System for Award Management registration and Unique Entity ID requirements that apply to the organization. SAM.gov states that entities applying directly for federal awards need an active registration and must renew it every 365 days. North Carolina organizations should also review North Carolina Emergency Management’s prepositioned debris hauling and monitoring contracts and determine whether they can use the contracts, who can authorize activation, and what local oversight and recordkeeping will still be required.

Build a Recordkeeping Workflow

Create a shared folder structure before an event for baseline images, damage documentation, contracts, procurement records, invoices, labor records, equipment logs, insurance information, correspondence, and funding submissions. Back up critical records in a separate, secure location and verify that designated staff can access them if normal offices, servers, or networks are unavailable.

Use a consistent naming convention that includes the site or asset, date, document type, and responsible department. Establish expense codes that allow storm-related costs to be separated from normal operations. Prepare standard forms for damage observations, force account labor, force account equipment, purchases, contracts, and insurance proceeds. FEMA’s Public Assistance project templates and forms can help organizations understand common data needs.

When a Storm Is Forecast

When a storm enters the forecast, shift from seasonal planning to event-specific preparation. Refresh the emergency contact list, confirm who will serve in each documentation role, and verify that staff can reach the records and systems they need. Back up current asset files, financial records, and policies, and capture updated photos of priority assets and vulnerable locations when conditions allow safe access.

Follow the organization’s emergency plan for moving vehicles, mobile equipment, and critical records to safer locations. Before response activities begin, remind employees and contractors how to record their time, equipment use, purchases, work locations, and assignments. Starting those records with the first response activity reduces the need to reconstruct details later.

After the Storm

Document Damage Before Repairs

Protect life and safety first. Begin documentation only when officials confirm safe access. Photograph and video each affected site as soon as conditions permit, capturing the date, time, location, wide and close-up views, and measurements when useful.

Create a damage record for each site and asset. Describe the observed cause, dimensions, materials, operational impact, immediate actions, and anticipated repair work. Compare post-storm observations with baseline photographs and maintenance records. When possible, document conditions before temporary or permanent repairs, then continue taking photographs during the work and after completion.

Track Costs and Decisions From Day One

Keep contracts, purchase orders, bids or quotes, invoices, receipts, change orders, proofs of payment, and related approvals together in the project record. Record force account labor by employee, date, hours, pay type, work performed, and location. Record force account equipment by type, operator, location, date, and hours used. FEMA’s equipment documentation guidance identifies additional information that may be requested.

Document the basis for emergency procurement decisions and retain the approvals and communications that support them. Emergency conditions may allow limited exceptions, but organizations must still explain their decisions and follow applicable requirements. Track insurance claims, proceeds, and correspondence alongside other potential funding sources so the recovery team can address duplication-of-benefits requirements.

Keep the Record Intact

Preserve original photographs, documents, and data, and maintain versioned backups as the recovery record grows. Provide copies for review while keeping source files intact. A complete record should connect the pre-storm condition, observed damage, response work, repair decisions, and final costs for each site.

How WithersRavenel Can Help

Documentation requirements vary by disaster declaration, funding program, applicant type, and scope of work. Communities should follow current instructions from their state emergency management agency, FEMA, insurers, and other funding organizations. For help building a pre-storm documentation plan or organizing records after an event, WithersRavenel’s Disaster Recovery Funding team helps communities organize records, document damages and costs, navigate FEMA Public Assistance requirements, and coordinate recovery activities. Related capabilities include Infrastructure Asset Management, GIS, and Remote Sensing.