Safety First means being sure you have a safe environment to start the recovery. Observe the following precautions for your own safety.
- If the floor or any electrical wiring or computer equipment may be wet, be SURE the power is off before you enter the room or touch any metal or wet surfaces or equipment. If you’re sure the power is off and it is safe to move the equipment, it should be moved to a safe, dry environment with reliable electric power.
- If you have a safe, dry environment, it’s important to be sure you have good, reliable electric power before connecting or turning on any computer equipment. Plugging in and observing an electric light to be sure it isn’t flickering or a lot dimmer or brighter than normal is a good start. You can also try plugging in things you can afford to lose – a radio or an old computer, etc.
- Turn off computers when they will not be used for an extended period to avoid power surges and brownouts. Unplug the computers, if possible. If a storm with lightening is expected or the power goes out, turn off and disconnect computers and other sensitive equipment until the power is back on and stable – power surges often occur when the power comes back on. Computers you don’t want to lose should have a short-term power backup system or uninterruptible power supply (UPS), which also provides isolation. Laptops are isolated by their power supplies and batteries, but reliable power is still important to avoid damage to the power supply.
- If you have to use temporary extension cords and cables to make connections, they should either be placed where they won’t be walked upon or taped to the floor to provide protection in high-traffic areas.
- Physical safety is also important. Be sure tables are sturdy enough to handle the equipment placed upon them and that stacked equipment won’t fall, especially when it is connected to cables, etc. Take a little extra time at this point to make sure everything is stable, neat and orderly. Rushing and cutting corners may lead to more losses later on.
- Ventilation is also very important. Be sure not to block the vents on any equipment. Computers can run in a warm environment as long as they have adequate ventilation. Don’t put computers right next to each other or with the vents next to desks or cabinets. Use a fan to keep the air moving in the room and around the computers if you think they might get too hot. In general, if you are hot and uncomfortable, it is too warm for your computers to be running. Turn them off if you leave the room and let them cool down before they are turned on again. Consider working during the cooler part of the day and turning off the computer equipment when it is too hot to work comfortably.