Hurricane Ian made landfall along the Southwest Florida coast last week as a powerful Category 4 hurricane causing significant damage from Florida to as far north as Virginia. Below are some Disaster Preparation Recommendations in the Wake of Hurricane Ian.

1. Back up business data regularly, remotely, and redundantly. Data should be backed up on-site and in the cloud to restore it in the wake of a disaster.

2. Power down, disconnect and move PCs, servers, printers, and other equipment. If your office or home lies in a flood-prone area or is located near a body of water, move unplugged equipment to the highest, driest spot possible to try and protect it from floodwaters or heavy rain. Desktop computers, monitors, and telephones can be placed in industrial-strength trash bags for an extra layer of protection.

3. Verify remote access protocols in advance. Once physical equipment has been secured, double-check the procedures allowing remote access to sustain normal operations. In many cases, the businesses that bounce back from a natural disaster have a plan to keep working as needed.

4. Stay sheltered until the threat has passed. If you’re in a safe location during a hurricane or other disaster, stay there until local authorities say it’s OK to venture out safely.

5. Check the status of UPS (uninterruptible power supply) batteries and surge protectors. These units can be a lifesaver during power outages, surges, and blackouts, keeping critical machines running even when electricity is disconnected and protecting them from unexpected jolts caused by a sudden loss or power restoration.