Power outages can occur anywhere in the country, in any season, at any time, not just during hurricane season or in population-dense communities.

Unfortunately, most small businesses don’t have backup power supplies in place to protect their mission-critical assets. Without a plan for power, companies are vulnerable to permanent data loss, not to mention the costly inability to conduct uninterrupted business transactions. And what business can afford that?

With just a few small investments and a little diligence, companies can prepare for blackouts and keep operations humming. Here are some key things to keep in mind.

• Consider protection at both the point of entry and point of use. Meter-based devises installed by your utility company can provide a first line of defense against surges that come through power lines, or the point of entry. Additionally, protect the point of use by installing plug-in surge protectors where equipment connects to outlets.
  
  
• Use surge protectors for all electronics. Just one unprotected workstation can result in an irretrievable loss of information. Even when the power has been restored, fluctuations are common, causing harmful high-voltage surges and spikes. Guard against them by using surge protectors with low let-through voltage ratings, and use them on any electronics that are critical to operations, including phone lines. 
  
  
• Invest in uninterruptible power supplies (UPS). These battery backups keep systems running long enough to allow companies to save critical data before properly shutting down computers. They also keep computers running smoothly through voltage sags and brief outages that can otherwise cause systems to freeze or malfunction. You can find them, along with surge protectors, at most office supply stores.
  
  
• Get a generator. Backup generator power can be a wise investment. Even lower-cost, gas-powered models can keep a small facility’s equipment essentials up and running for several hours, with interruptions only for refueling.
  
  
• Back up business files. Keeping back-up files is one of the smartest steps companies can take to protect their data. Files should be backed up regularly and stored elsewhere from the computer to servers, CDs, DVDs, or on a network.

Utility companies cannot provide 100-percent failsafe protection against power disruptions. Take the time now to assess equipment vulnerability and prepare for outages. Then periodically check products and plans to ensure they are working. Doing so can prevent your company costly downtimes, along with the grief that comes with outage-related downtime or missing information.