Scan and Save Important Documents and Photos
When a disaster like a fire hits, it’s not just the physical belongings that are at risk — virtual assets are just as vulnerable. Scanning important documents (like birth certificates, insurance papers, photos, and legal documents) and saving them digitally is an essential step in disaster preparedness.
- Action: Use your smartphone or a scanner to digitize physical documents. For photos, consider scanning family photos or send them to a bulk scanning service. Take high-quality pictures or videos of items with sentimental or economic value. Upload these files to cloud storage services such as Google Drive, Dropbox, or iCloud. These services offer secure, easily accessible backups that you can reach from anywhere, even if your physical copies are damaged or destroyed.
Back Up Your Devices Regularly
You likely have personal computers and phones in addition to your work laptop. If you are storing things like photos, videos, and important files on this device, you should have this information backed up just like Hybridge backs up all important data for your organization. Without proper backups, the digital information we rely on can vanish in the blink of an eye.
- Action: Back up all your personal devices — phones, tablets, and computers. Set up automatic backups to cloud storage services like Google One, Apple iCloud, or OneDrive. These services store your data securely and make recovery simple. For added protection for irreplaceable items like family photos, back up critical files to an encrypted external hard drive or USB stick. Store the backup in a safe, off-site location, like a family member’s house or a safe deposit box.
Stay Informed and Prepared with Alerts
Disasters can strike with little warning, so it’s important to stay ahead of potential risks. Leverage technology to stay informed.
- Action: Sign up for emergency alerts from your local government or emergency services. In Silicon Valley this is the San Mateo alert system SMC Alert. You can also install apps like FEMA or Red Cross to receive real-time notifications about risks and disasters in your area.
Create an Emergency Digital Plan
Just like a physical evacuation plan, it’s essential to have a digital plan in place for emergencies. Make a checklist of critical files, passwords, and documents that need to be accessed quickly.
- Action: Identify the most important digital files you need (tax records, identification documents, insurance policies, bank information, etc.) and ensure they are stored and easily identifiable in cloud services. Share access details with a trusted family member or friend so they can help if you're unable to do so yourself
- Action: Speed insurance claims by taking videos of each room in your home, highlighting valuables you will want to claim for if the worst happens. Store these in your cloud storage with insurance policy details and the rest of your important documents
While we can’t control the forces of nature, we can control how we prepare for them. By safeguarding your digital life with cloud backups, encrypted data, emergency plans, and solid disaster recovery and business continuity strategies, you ensure that even in the worst-case scenario, your most valuable information remains protected.
We extend our heartfelt thoughts to all those affected by the fires, and we hope these tech-driven tips offer a small sense of comfort and preparedness. Let’s take action now, so we can face the future with greater peace of mind.
Stay safe, stay connected, and keep your digital life secure!
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