Hurricane prep often starts with flashlights, food, and sandbags. But too many people forget one critical thing: their data.
Whether you’re protecting priceless family photos or essential work documents, storms can cause devastating data loss. Power outages, flooding, and sudden hardware failures can wipe out your data storage devices in seconds, erasing files, photos, and business records without warning. Once your data is gone, recovery can be difficult or even impossible.
Storms don't just damage property; they can erase years of important data and backups. Here's what's at risk:
Even if your device survives, things like power surges or water exposure can corrupt files and make recovery harder.
A strong data backup strategy and a clear disaster recovery plan are the best defenses when severe weather strikes. Taking a few simple steps now can make disaster recovery faster, protect your files from permanent loss, and give you confidence before the storm hits.
Know which files matter most and where they're saved. Create a list. Store passwords somewhere safe.
2. Ensure backups are current, secure, and offsite
Use both cloud storage and physical drives. Open the files. Make sure they're current, complete, and accessible. A backup you can't use is not a backup at all.
3. Protect your devices physically
Move electronics off the floor. Keep them away from windows and seal them in watertight containers if flooding is a concern. Unplug everything to avoid power surge damage.
4. Test your data restoration procedures
Backups don’t mean much if you can’t use them. Do a trial restore to confirm files open correctly and your process actually works.
5. Have a recovery partner ready
If your device is damaged, don’t panic. Even when data backup systems fail, professional data recovery services can often bring your files back. Ontrack has helped thousands of people and organizations restore critical data after hurricanes and natural disasters. From personal phones and laptops to enterprise servers, our experts know how to recover what matters most. Ontrack has helped thousands of people recover files after hurricanes and disasters. From phones to servers, we know how to help.
Your data is more than just files. It's your work, your history, and your memories. Losing it can feel overwhelming. But taking simple steps now can protect it before the next storm hits.
From water-damaged laptops to failed hard drives, we've recovered data from some of the worst storm scenarios. Our global team is ready to help whether you're a student, a parent, a business owner, or just someone who wants their photos back.
Don't Wait for the Forecast
Hurricane season is here. Preparation now can save your data later.
Your devices may be replaceable. Your data is not.
Contact Ontrack today!