Prepare State and Local Gov for Natural Disasters: IT Readiness’ Crucial

Natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods and earthquakes can strike without warning. For government, preparedness for these unpredictable events is essential — not only in terms of physical response but also in ensuring that IT systems are resilient, reliable and ready for anything. Digital preparedness can be the linchpin in disaster response, recovery and maintaining public safety and trust.

State and local agencies often work with outdated equipment and limited personnel to help during a natural disaster. Evaluating your weaknesses and gaps before a natural disaster strikes can be key to a quicker and faster recovery.

Here are some constraints your government agency may need to consider:

• Outdated equipment: Not having the most functional equipment, such as radios, can hinder critical communications during a natural disaster.
• Limited personnel: Cities may have key emergency response personnel that are stretched thin with multiple roles, which creates operational delays. For example, sometimes the police chief is also the OEM-trained contact. One person handling both jobs will slow down efforts and put more strain on an already stressful situation.
• Reactive response: Natural disaster impacts are not consistent. For this reason, you cannot plan for what is coming or what the affect will be. However, having a plan that at minimum addresses who will be responsible for what during a crisis is a good start to emergency management.

You can enhance your preparations for a natural disaster if you look at what your city is lacking on a typical day. It is true that you cannot always prepare for every detail, but having a game plan in place can make a big difference.

IT preparedness needs to be an important aspect of your emergency strategy. In state and local government, IT preparedness is crucial to emergency communications and ensuring that public information is available, even when physical resources may be struggling.  

Benefits of properly prepared IT encompass:

• Business continuity: The right digital tool can help provide essential services during natural disasters or other emergencies.
• Real time information: Updated IT systems can help provide citizens with timely updates about road closures, shelter locations, evacuation routes and weather changes.
• Enhance coordination across agencies: Communication tools can help disaster response and improve collaboration across local, state and federal levels.
• Secure data and services: Security threats are always looking for a way in; strong and prepared IT systems can help protect against data breaches and service interruptions.

The following elements are essential to build a robust IT preparedness plan for government agencies.

Regularly backing up data and testing the system is a necessity for governments. The ability to restore the system that stores critical information related to public health, infrastructure and emergency resources is key.

Having both local and cloud-based backups enables quick data retrieval and maintains service continuity, even if primary systems fail.

Establishing robust emergency communication systems can help keep the public informed and connected during crises. These communications include mobile alerts, social media updates and emergency hotlines.

Cyber threats escalate during natural disasters as bad actors target vulnerable systems. Protecting against these threats, especially while operating in a weakened system, requires firewalls, intrusion detection and regular software updates.

Geographic information system (GIS) technology can offer critical insights by mapping risk areas, tracking resource allocation and displaying evacuation routes.

1. Conduct a Risk Assessment
   Begin with an evaluation of potential natural disaster risks specific to the area, such as hurricanes or wildfires. Understanding the risks and possible physical and digital impacts allows governments to plan for community needs and allocate resources accordingly.
   
   
2. Develop an IT Disaster Recovery Plan
   An IT disaster recovery plan must be a part of every agency’s emergency strategy toolkit. It should contain detailed steps for restoring systems, re-establishing connectivity and redeploying resources.
   
   
3. Train Staff and Conduct Drills
   Regular training and disaster response drills will help employees become familiar with the plan and how to enact it quickly and effectively. Training needs to cover basic cybersecurity, accessing backup systems and using emergency communication tools.
   
   
4. Establish Partnerships With Private Sector and Federal Resources
   Collaboration with tech companies and federal agencies such as FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) can help state and local governments access additional resources, such as cloud services, cybersecurity assistance and geospatial data tools.
   
   
5. Test Systems Regularly and Update Plans
   Periodic testing of IT systems and disaster response protocols will help you identify potential weaknesses and keep systems and staff prepared.

CDW Government Can Help You Prepare

For state and local governments, investing in IT preparedness is critical for minimizing the impact of natural disasters on communities. CDW Government can help strengthen your IT infrastructures and implement disaster recovery strategies to respond more efficiently.