Hurricane Season is here, and while what neoRhino does for businesses to prepare for a disaster contains some actions that may be outside the realm of some, here are 10 simple steps you can do both at home and at the office to stay prepped, not panicked during the disaster:

1. Research on the risk.

Research what kind of prior environmental disasters happened near your home and office. Hurricanes do not just happen near coastal shores, regardless of the level of impact. Potential windstorms should be factored as well.

2. Your Evacuation Plan.

If you live in an area known for evacuations, be sure to have your plan to evacuate in writing with who is involved, where you're going, and how to get there. This doesn't always mean a long distance & needs to include pets.

3. Update your contact list.

Make sure all the phone numbers and/or email addresses for your emergency contact list are up to date every hurricane season. Have a "chain of command" in your contact list for who to reach out to.

4. Forward your office phone number to a cellphone.

If you are going to be evacuating or expect an extended outage to where your office (or home) phone is unusable, be sure to route your calls to an available cellphone just in case.

5. Gathering Supplies.

Have supplies ready preferably before the season begins. Aim to have a week's worth of food and water, your prescriptions filled, radio, batteries, phone chargers & full gas tank ready for travel. Cash on hand is crucial.

6. A note about Cellphones.

Portable USB battery packs are handy but will only last so long if they cannot be charged. Pack a hand-crank or a solar-charging USB charger (same with flashlights) just in case recharging is not an option.

7. Take inventory of all computer and network equipment and cover with plastic sheets.

You can’t bring everything with you, so what does need to be left behind during a storm needs to be inventoried. Model Numbers and Serial Numbers are highly recommended.

8. Unplug unnecessary electronics.

Understandable that some devices may need to stay active during a storm, but any equipment that can be unplugged needs to be. Cover critical equipment with plastic sheets if possible.

9. After the storm, check for water damage and power instability.

If the area flooded while you were away, do not power on any devices that have been wet or underwater. When you can plug your equipment, make sure you have stable power. Constant flickering without proper UPS or power conditioning can ruin your equipment.

10. Communicate!

Contact your loved ones, colleagues, and business clients just to assure that you are safe and that they are as well. Work with your IT team in getting your network back up and your Disaster Recovery plan in action for after the storm.

neoRhino is all about keeping your business and everyone in the community Houston Strong when the worst happens. If you are unsure about how to keep your business and its data safe during a disaster or more about our Disaster Recovery options within the Houston area and beyond, give us a call at (281) 779-4850 or (877) 85-RHINO.

Stay prepped, not panicked!