Data safety in a time of natural disasters

InformationWeek.com: The National Weather Service has begun testing the way it labels natural disasters. It's hoping that the new warnings, which include words like "catastrophic," "complete devastation likely," and "unsurvivable," will make people more likely to take action to save their lives. But what about their digital lives? The increasing frequency and magnitude of natural disasters made me wonder about saving individuals' and businesses' data from disasters. Data can't be reminded to save itself, but we can take steps before a disaster to preserve it, and we can recover it afterward.

Here's what Mike Cobb, the director of engineering at DriveSavers, recommends doing in case of an impending natural disaster:

• Keep all electronics out of basements and off the floor in general. Basements are naturally cool places, but are the first to flood.
• If possible, unplug your hardware--laptops, printers, and other electronic devices--from all power sources.
• Invest in a surge protector. Surge protectors and battery backups should be checked or replaced every few years to ensure the highest level of effectiveness.
• To help protect against water damage enclose any valuable devices in plastic or place in a water-tight plastic bin.

MILLINGTON, Tenn. (May 5, 2010) Aviation Ordnanceman 2nd Class Jarrod Snell, assigned to Navy Personnel Command, carries damaged computers from his work center during flood recovery operations at Naval Support Activity Mid-South. The base was closed to residents and non-mission essential personnel after two days of rain dumped more than 14 inches in the area May 1 and 2, causing severe flooding on parts of the base. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class LaTunya Howard/Released)