Hurricane Preparedness

Protecting your computers during a hurricane is crucial to prevent damage from power surges, water, and other hazards. Here are some steps you can take:

1) Back Up Your Data: Ensure all important data is backed up to an external drive or cloud storage. If you have a backup, verify that the backup set is currently up to date and there are no errors in the program.

2) Unplug and Disconnect: If you do not need your computers active, shut them down. If you are particularly worried about electrical events, unplug the equipment from the wall. Also, disconnect any peripherals like printers, external drives, and monitors.

3) Elevate Your Equipment: If you are concerned about flooding, place your computers and other electronics on a higher surface to protect them from potential flooding. Consider covering them with plastic bags to protect against water damage from above.

4) Use Surge Protectors: If you can’t unplug your devices, make sure they are connected to surge protectors or battery backups to guard against power surges.

5) Move to a Safe Location: If possible, move your computer to a room that is less likely to flood and away from windows.

6) Secure Important Documents: Keep any important physical documents related to your computer, like warranties and receipts, in a waterproof container. Make sure you know or have access to all of your critical credentials (such as Backup logins or decryption passwords) in case you need them.

7) Emergency Power: Have a portable power bank or an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to keep your computer running for a short period if needed.

When a storm is coming, you need to weight the lost productivity of having office resources shut down versus the potential risk of being days or weeks without a fully functional system in the aftermath of a storm.

Stay safe and call us if you have any questions or issues either before or after the storm.