722 Preparing Your Business for Hurricane Milton

Uncle Marv kicks off with the latest on Hurricane Milton, now a Category 4 storm with 155 mph winds, expected to make landfall near Sarasota around 10-12 PM. He emphasizes the storm's massive size, affecting areas from the Panhandle to the Keys. Using the Windy.com app, Marv illustrates the storm's path and potential impacts. He shares emergency numbers and highlights Uber's free evacuation rides using the code MILTONRELIEF. Marv recounts recent IT challenges, including remote access issues and power failures, underscoring the importance of proper preparation. He mentions ASCII's offer to help Tampa-area IT providers post-storm. Scott Dollar joins to share his perspective from Tampa. He discusses his company's preparations, including notifying clients, securing equipment, and ensuring cloud-based systems are ready. Scott notes most of his clients are now cloud-based, simplifying disaster recovery. They compare experiences from past hurricanes, with Scott recalling 2004's Hurricane Charlie. Both stress the importance of heeding evacuation orders and being prepared with supplies. The conversation turns to proactive measures like regular UPS battery replacements and the challenge of getting clients to invest in disaster preparedness before a crisis hits. They wrap up by discussing Florida's well-organized hurricane response compared to other states, and the unexpected threats like tornadoes that can accompany hurricanes.Websites mentioned: Windy.com - https://www.windy.comNational Hurricane Center - https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/SpaghettiModels.com - https://www.spaghettimodels.comPhone Numbers and Websites - Hurricane MiltonEmergency ContactsEmergency Services: 911American Red Cross: 1-800-733-2767FEMA Disaster Assistance: 1-800-621-3362Special Needs Shelters (Orange County): 311 or 407-836-3111Florida State Emergency Information Line: 1-800-342-3557Websites for Updates and InformationWindy: https://www.windy.comFlorida Division of Emergency Management: FloridaDisaster.orgFlorida Shelter Status: FloridaDisaster.org/shelter-statusFEMA Hurricane Milton Updates: https://www.fema.gov/disaster/current/hurricane-miltonAmerican Red Cross Shelter Locator: https://www.redcross.org/get-help/disaster-relief-and-recovery-services/find-an-open-shelter.htmlEvacuation InformationEvacuation Assistance: 800-729-3413Florida Disaster Evacuation Routes: FloridaDisaster.org/evacuation-routesFree Evacuation Rides (Uber): Use promo code MILTONRELIEF in the Uber app === Connect with Uncle Marv🌐 Website: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/🎙 Host: Marvin Bee🛒 Uncle Marv’s Amazon Store (gear & tools I recommend): https://amzn.to/3EiyKoZ☕ Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/itbusinesspodcastIf you found value in this episode, share it with another MSP, IT provider, or tech entrepreneur. Your support helps keep practical, no-nonsense IT business conversations coming every week.