When Staff Can’t Get There: Lessons from Atlanta’s 2014 Snowpocalypse

In late January 2014, two inches of snow, on top of the sleet-turned-to-ice that fell before the snow, paralyzed Atlanta. What should have been a routine winter storm quickly became a crisis as thousands of drivers were stranded overnight on highways. Schools, businesses, and institutions closed abruptly—and many staff couldn’t return for days. Despite the comedy about the event, the weather kept people hunkered down for days.

For cultural heritage organizations, the storm wasn’t remembered for damage to collections but for what it revealed about vulnerabilities in staffing and access. With roads impassable, many libraries, archives, and museums realized that even the best disaster plans fail if no one is available to implement them.

Case Study: The 2014 Atlanta Snowstorm

During “Snowpocalypse,” the city’s infrastructure ground to a halt. Institutions across metro Atlanta closed with little notice. Staff were unable to reach their sites to check on environmental controls, ensure backup power, or secure vulnerable areas. While collections weren’t lost, the event served as a wake-up call: disaster planning must account for the possibility that staff cannot be physically present.

What we learned:

• Remote monitoring matters. Temperature, humidity, and water sensors provide peace of mind when staff can’t reach the building.

• Access planning is critical. Keyholders and mutual aid agreements ensure someone can respond if primary staff are stranded. Staff that live closest to the institution should be in the weather response group so that they can help the institution stay informed as they are best able to do.

• Business continuity overlaps with disaster recovery. Communication tools (group texts, call trees, remote logins) keep staff connected when they can’t gather in person.

  
  

Practical Framework: The “Access Gap”

Think about disruptions in terms of an Access Gap:

1. No staff on-site – Buildings must be able to hold steady for 24–72 hours without human intervention. Anything that requires daily attention (living collections, stand alone dehumidifiers, etc.) need to have a plan to manage during these events.

2. No staff nearby – Trusted backup responders (partners, volunteers, other institutions) need to be identified ahead of time.

3. No staff communication – Clear protocols for how and when staff check in remotely.

   
   

Access Readiness Checklist for Heritage Institutions

•  Install remote monitoring for environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, water leaks).

•  Ensure that weather response staff members (or a trusted partner) have building keys and security codes.

•  Develop a staff call tree or group text system for emergencies.

•  Identify a partner institution for mutual aid if staff are stranded.

•  Test backup power systems regularly (generators, UPS for servers and alarms).

•  Document emergency procedures in a way that someone new to the building could follow them.

•  Review insurance coverage for business interruption due to weather events.

Closing Thought

Snow may be rare in Georgia, but the 2014 Snowpocalypse taught us that access—not just damage—is a major vulnerability. Preparing for times when staff cannot reach your institution is just as important as preparing for storms or fires. As we end the year, December is a reminder: resilience means planning not just for the disasters that hit your building, but for the ones that keep you away from it.