Hurricane season IT checklist for South Florida businesses

In South Florida, storm season is a business-continuity question as much as a weather one. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30. A few hours of preparation before a storm can save days of downtime after it.

Before the season starts

• Confirm your backups work. Make sure backups run automatically, that at least one copy is stored away from the office, and that someone has recently restored a file to prove it. See how to tell whether your backups actually work.
• List your critical systems. Write down what the business needs to operate and the order to bring it back: internet, email, shared files, line-of-business applications, phones.
• Test remote work. Can key staff do their jobs from home with a laptop, secure access to files and a way to take calls? Try it on a normal day, not during an evacuation.
• Plan phone coverage. Decide how calls will reach people if the office is closed, such as forwarding to mobile phones or using a phone app, and record an emergency greeting in advance.
• Update your contact list. Staff, clients who need notice, your internet provider, IT support, landlord and insurance agent, with phone numbers stored somewhere other than the office server.
• Check power protection. Replace old battery backups (UPS units) and make sure servers and network equipment are on surge protection.
• Photograph your equipment. A simple inventory with photos and serial numbers makes insurance claims easier.

When a storm is on the way

• Check the latest backup completed and that the offsite copy is current.
• Tell staff the plan: how you will communicate, who works remotely and what to take home.
• Send laptops home charged with the chargers and anything else people need.
• Switch on phone forwarding or the emergency greeting when the office closes.
• Shut down and unplug equipment that doesn't need to run. Move it off the floor and away from windows, and cover it with plastic.

After the storm

• Safety first. Don't power on equipment that may have been exposed to water.
• Wait for stable power, then bring systems back in your planned order: internet and network first, then servers and cloud access, then workstations.
• Check your data. Confirm files and applications open correctly and restore anything missing from backup.
• Watch for storm-related scams. Fake contractors, charity appeals and emails pretending to be from insurers or disaster agencies tend to follow every major storm. See how to spot phishing and scam emails.

Make it part of the routine

The best time to prepare is early in the season, when there is no storm on the map. Review the checklist once a year, update it when you add people, systems or locations, and keep a printed copy somewhere other than the office.