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Case Study May 2026

When Lightning Strikes: Recovering Critical Office Systems After a Major Storm

Sometimes IT work is routine. And sometimes, a lightning strike changes everything overnight.

On-Site Damage Documentation — Haskell County Water Company, May 2026

Open white plastic box showing internal circuitry with green circuit board, black battery compartment, and connected blue and black cables on wooden desk
Weathered electrical junction boxes mounted on a wooden wall with exposed wiring and connections
Metal electrical outlet adapter with white coiled cord on wooden surface
Close-up of person holding HP desktop computer tower showing rear ports and cable connections in an office setting

Photos: Damage assessment and recovery in progress following the lightning strike.

Recently, RC IT was called to assist after severe lightning damage impacted systems at Haskell County Water Company. Multiple devices and network components sustained significant damage, disrupting normal office operations and threatening the ability to handle customer calls, payments, and day-to-day business functions.

By the following morning, recovery efforts were already underway.

Recovery Efforts Over 48 Hours

  • Assessing damaged systems and network equipment
  • Restoring critical office functionality
  • Troubleshooting networking and connectivity issues
  • Establishing temporary replacement equipment
  • Assisting with workstation recovery planning
  • Re-establishing printing and scanning functionality
  • Helping stabilize day-to-day operations while longer-term recovery plans were developed

One of the most important parts of the recovery effort involved helping keep the office operational for customers during the immediate aftermath of the incident.

"This man single-handedly got us back up and going, showing up the very next day and working for 2 days, 7–8 hours each day, while also loaning us his own equipment so the office could remain open for calls and bill payments."

— Haskell County Water Company

As with many disaster recovery situations, not every solution is permanent on day one. Some systems can be restored quickly, while other components require phased replacement and longer-term planning. Recovery is often a process, not a single event.

Key Takeaway

Situations like this are a reminder of the importance of preparation, backups, surge protection, infrastructure planning, and having trusted technical support available when unexpected problems occur.

Technology problems are stressful enough. During a crisis, organizations need practical solutions, calm troubleshooting, clear communication, and steady support.

That is exactly the kind of work RC IT was built to provide.

Steady IT support in any storm.


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More Topics We'll Be Covering

Network Security

Best practices for protecting your business network from threats

Disaster Recovery

Planning and preparation for when the unexpected happens

Backup & Recovery

Strategies for keeping your data safe and recoverable

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