Hurricane Katrina taught me how to prepare for any storm

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2026 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by LSEG. Twenty-one years after Hurricane Katrina, Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson shares his experience surviving the storm. Aug. 29 marks 21 years since Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast in 2005. I had gone to New Orleans expecting a fun weekend with my parents. Instead, I ended up trapped inside a hotel during one of the most devastating hurricanes in U.S. history. At the time, I had no idea the experience would change the way I prepare for emergencies for the rest of my life. Katrina remains the costliest hurricane in U.S. history and one of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history. For me, though, the story began before the flooding. As Katrina grew stronger in the Gulf, I realized we needed to get out of New Orleans. I got my parents onto what I remember as the last flight out. My dad even offered me his ticket because I still had no way out. I told him