What is Hurricane IT Preparation?
Hurricane IT preparation is the seasonal process every Florida Gulf-Coast business runs each summer to ensure systems, data, and communications survive a Cat-3+ landfall and the multi-day power and internet outages that follow.
A hurricane plan covers four phases: pre-season (June 1 readiness checklist), pre-landfall (72-hour runbook activated when a storm becomes named), during-storm (decision tree: stay open / close / partial), and recovery (Day-1, Day-3, Day-7 checklists).
Specific tasks include: verify off-site backups, test the UPS at every server rack, photograph IT equipment for insurance claims, reroute phones to mobile, secure or relocate PHI-bearing devices, and document the pre-storm state for after-action review.
Florida business interruption from hurricanes averages 3-7 days of full closure - not all of which is power-related; staff dispersal, supply-chain disruption, and customer absence add days.
Why it matters for Florida small business
A 5-day business interruption costs the average Florida small business $25-100k. Most of that is preventable with a 4-hour pre-season checklist.
What to do
By June 1 each year: verify backups, test UPS units, photograph equipment, document the IT inventory. We use the same checklist with Sarasota and Bradenton clients before hurricane season.