I just had to laugh at the naivety of your coworkers. I have never been in an actual "hurricane", just a "tropical storm", that "tropical storm" that I was SO glad was NOT a hurricane, dropped three feet of water in less than two days.
Torrential rain, endless. No electricity. Hot as hades, and humid. How can it rain, and be hot?! We couldn't open the windows, too much rain. No AC. It was miserable. And after it was over, mud everywhere. Thick mud, 5 or 6 inches in some places.
Your friends better pack their Muck boots.