Disaster Recovery
“2 is 1 and 1 is None”. This is a term that has been used in IT by typically by System Administrators to make the point that you are only as good as your backups and your ability to restore them. The intent of this phrase is to instill a sense of urgency in someone responsible for keeping systems up and running and making sure they have highly redundant fail backups in place. You don’t want to be caught without warm backup systems that are ready to be spun up on a moments notice when the time comes for an outage of critical systems. Not only is it the job of someone like a Systems Administrator to make sure these measures are taken, its a fundamental of the job no matter what kind of business they support. “What’s the status of my backups?” should be the 1st and last question you ask yourself every day when you are in that line of work. Fundamentally it is one of the 1st things you’d do at a new job or for a new customer contact gig. You need to know the health, availability, and viability of those systems and processes.
Personal Disasters
The same goes for your personal life. You are in charge of what happens to you and your family when a disaster strikes in your personal life. Any of the following could be considered a disaster scenario for you personally:
- Loss of a job
- Death of a loved one
- Natural disaster
- Extended power outages
- Debilitating personal injury
There is nothing protecting you from any of these scenarios throwing your life into a tailspin. Any of these conditions could result in a significant loss of money, time, and stability in your life and the life of those that depend on you.
Building Personal Redundancy: Practical Strategies for Preparedness
Just as System Administrators create redundancy in IT systems, you can build safety nets in your personal life. Here’s how you can implement practical, redundant strategies to prepare for unexpected events.
1. Financial Preparedness
Emergency Fund: Aim to save three to six months’ worth of living expenses. This fund acts as a financial buffer in case of job loss, medical emergencies, or other unforeseen expenses.
Diversify Income Streams: Relying on a single source of income is risky. Consider passive income opportunities, investments, or side gigs to create multiple income streams.
Insurance Coverage: Ensure you have adequate health, life, disability, and property insurance. Regularly review your policies to make sure they meet your current needs.
2. Backup Important Documents
Digital Copies: Scan and store important documents—like IDs, passports, insurance policies, and wills—on encrypted cloud services. Use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication for added security.
Physical Copies: Keep hard copies in a fireproof and waterproof safe. Consider having duplicates stored securely at a trusted friend or family member’s home.
3. Develop a Family Emergency Plan
Communication Plan: Establish how you will contact each other during an emergency. This could include designated meeting places and methods of communication if phones are down.
Emergency Contacts: Keep a list of important contacts, such as doctors, schools, workplaces, and out-of-town relatives.
Practice Drills: Regularly rehearse your emergency plan with your family to ensure everyone knows what to do.
4. Prepare for Natural Disasters and Power Outages
Emergency Kit: Assemble a kit with essentials like non-perishable food, water, flashlights, batteries, a first aid kit, medications, and personal hygiene items.
Alternative Power Sources: Invest in portable chargers, solar-powered devices, or generators to keep essential electronics running during outages. Pay an electrician to come out and wire up an inlet plug and a few critical electrical breakers to run your most important home appliances and devices. I’m quite certain it will be some of the best money you’ve ever spent on yourself and your family. Paying for electrical backup infrastructure will pay off especially if you live in an area with frequent power outages that could happen anytime (especially in cold weather). Solar generators are a popular solution when it comes to having to keep something inside the a closed area (Gas / Propane generators should never be kept inside or any enclosed non-ventilated area). Here is an example of one of these solar generators but they can get expensive the higher up you go in capability.
Stay Informed: Have a battery-powered or hand-crank radio to receive news and emergency updates if other communication channels fail.
5. Health and Wellness
Regular Check-ups: Stay on top of your health with regular medical, dental, and vision check-ups to catch potential issues early.
Fitness and Nutrition: Maintain a healthy lifestyle to reduce the risk of illness and injury.
Mental Health: Develop coping strategies for stress and seek professional help when needed.
6. Skill Development
Cross-training: Learn skills outside your primary profession to increase your versatility in the job market. This can be anything from Brazilian Jujitsu to radio communications but you’d be wise to make sure you diversify your skill set. Specialization only works in very specific instances and those are usually specific to the modern professional workplace. Otherwise, it pays to be a jack of as many trades as possible.
First Aid and CPR: Being trained in first aid can be invaluable during emergencies when medical help isn’t immediately available. A good resource for anything medical in an emergency situation (where help isn’t on the way or available) is The Survival Medicine Handbook: 4th ed.
Home Maintenance Skills: Basic knowledge of plumbing, electrical repairs, and other home maintenance can prevent small issues from becoming big problems. Especially when it comes to backup power, you should have a solid understanding of electricity and how it behaves to prevent serious injury.
