Hurricane Katrina brought unprecedented challenges to the Atlanta Fed’s New Orleans Branch, but the Fed’s contingency efforts helped maintain payments in the region.

In a recent speech, Jack Guynn said that despite the short-term disruption Hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused, the U.S. economy is poised for growth and low inflation.

The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina demonstrated the importance of disaster preparedness. Banking agencies have developed a publication to help financial institutions prepare for extraordinary circumstances.

A new public service campaign encourages people affected by Hurricane Katrina to contact their lenders so they mitigate damage to their credit histories.