With news of Tropical Storm Elsa strengthening to a Category 1 hurricane, North Carolina business owners may have storm preparation on their minds. 

After all, the state, Cumberland County included, has seen destruction from many storms over the years, from tornadoes to hurricanes like Hazel, Fran, Florence and Matthew. Earlier this year, N.C. State researchers predicted that 15-18 named storms would form in the Atlantic basin, and as many as seven to nine may become hurricanes. With the help of resources from local organizations, business owners can feel prepared to brave the storms. 

Prior to a storm, and throughout the year outside of hurricane season, business owners should consider backing up important data stored on their devices. Whether using a cloud service, a physical server or external hard drives, having necessary files and information stored in more than one place can ensure that data is not lost forever if a system crashes in a storm. 

Each option has pros and cons, so consider factors such as working from home, having multiple employees using the same content, storage space for saving additional files later, etc. when making a decision. 

Carolyn Justice-Hinson, communications/community relations officer at Fayetteville Public Works Commission, advises PWC customers to sign up for Electric Outage notifications through the PWC Online account manager, which will let customers know when outages occur that will affect their business location.  

PWC also provides other helpful services when storms strike, she said. “PWC can provide businesses additional communications during storms. A business can provide points of contact online, through PWC’s Storm Central ... We encourage businesses to provide that before major storms approach and keep updated as their situation changes through the year. PWC will use the information to communicate with the businesses to talk to them about their specific needs during a storm.” 

She also  advises that customers turn off the electricity at the main breaker coming into the building and the main water valve inside of the building if they are to evacuate due to potential flooding. PWC can assist if business owners need help locating the valve or breaker. 

The City of Fayetteville provides an abundance of resources and tools should a storm come to the area, including phone numbers for other utility companies.

If a storm comes through the area overnight, or if a building evacuates and employees go home, NCDOT has a road status database so businesspeople can learn about potential road closures. 

Calling 511 will allow callers to hear about major interstate closures. 

These tips are just a few ways businesspeople can prepare for storms. However, the City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, and Fayetteville’s Public Works Commission  have a multitude of resources to stay safe and informed. Visit https://www.cumberlandcountync.gov/emergencyservices/severe-weather-preparedness for Cumberland County’s resources. Visit https://www.fayettevillenc.gov/city-services/corporate-communications/public-information/storm-information-center to read about City of Fayetteville’s resources. Visit https://www.faypwc.com/storm-central/ for PWC’s resources.