With Hurricane Laura bearing down on Louisiana and Texas, leaders of firms with New Orleans offices are reminded of a deadly, destructive storm that hit 15 years ago, almost to the day: Hurricane Katrina. Even after a decade and a half, the disaster plans they refined in response to that storm have proven useful in the COVID-19 crisis.

A pandemic is hardly the same as a major hurricane, but leaders of Louisiana firms said they have approached the business challenges posed by the coronavirus in much the same way they would a hurricane, which is an all-too-common occurrence on the Gulf Coast.