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Businesses Business Planning - Do you have a COOP?
Nearly 80% of small business owners do not reopen their doors after a disaster such as a hurricane has affected their area of business. However, businesses that prepared and implemented a Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) were 90% successful in reopening their business immediately after a disaster.
As a business owner, do you have a COOP?
I. Purpose: To minimize down times and provide the highest level of service until normal operations are resumed.
II. Vulnerability Assessment: Identify threats or hazards in Chatham County:
Coastal storms & hurricanes,
Storm surge,
Tornadoes, and
Rainwater flooding.
III. Prioritize Essential Organizational Functions:
Category 1: Mission critical services that must always remain operational.
Category 2: Immediate services that must be restored in less than 12 hours
Category 3: Normal services don't need to be restored until after the incident.
IV. Concept of Operations:
Phase I: Activation & Relocation: When to activate the plan?
Threats and emergencies with warning such as: Hurricanes, Transportation Accidents with the potential for Hazardous Materials spills, or the Threat of a Terrorist Act.
Threats without warning during after-duty hours: Arson, Terrorism or a HAZMAT may occur when the majority of the staff is not at work.
Threats without warning during duty hours that require evacuation.
1. Decision Process: Who activates, alert, notifies, and implements process?
Who decides if the facilities are inoperable for 12 hours?
Who issues an after-duty hours warning & how?
Do employees have critical record/database "go kits"?
How are employees transported to alternate facilities? What are the Primary & Alt means of transportation?
2. Leadership: What is the order of succession?
Who has the authority and responsibility to carry out essential functions?
In the event that the leadership is incapacitated who are the successors for essential functions?
Phase II: Alternate Facility Operations: Have procedures been established at alternate facility for identification & sign in/out requirements, etc?
1. Mission Critical Systems: What are the mission critical systems and resources needed to support these functions?
2. Vital Files, Records, and Databases: When & where are vital electronic files and databases backed up and stored at a remote location? Vital records include:
Emergency Operating Records - essential to the functioning or reconstitution of the department.
Legal and Financial Records - essential to the legal/financial functions of the department.
Phase III: Reconstitution: Who determines the event is no longer a threat?
V. Logistics: Alternate Location: Identification of a site that can be operational within 12 hours and sustain essential functions for up to 30 days.
Criteria include:
Space
Infrastructure,
Food preparation area
Security
Parking
Networking capabilities
Interoperable communications:
How do we communicate
Secure communications
Intra- and inter-departmental
Accommodate minimum requirements
How do we communicate with customers
Variable and redundant capability.
Ensuring the continuous performance of essential functions/operations during an emergency.
Protecting essential facilities, equipment, records, and other assets.
Reducing or mitigating disruptions to operations.
Reducing loss of life and minimizing damage and losses.
Achieving a timely and orderly recovery from an emergency and resuming full service.
Identifying alternate operations locations in the event that primary operations facilities are not functional.
Conducting essential operations from an alternate operating location within 12 hours of the event onset for a period of up to 30 days.
Establishing lines of succession and delegations of authority.
Identifying personnel needed to perform essential functions.
Identifying internal and external means of communication.
Establishing requirements for regularly scheduled testing, training, and exercising personnel, equipment, systems, processes and procedures for support of a COOP event.
Establishing requirements for development, maintenance, and annual review of the COOP.
A business go-kit should include:
Copies of the Department/Business Emergency Operations Plan
Department COOP
Call-down lists
Other vital records
Maps to alternate operating locations
Laptop computer with facility locations,
Human resources and payroll info,
Department-specific software.
Copies of forms for essential services
Forms used to perform work manually
Essential personnel go-kit should include:
A change of clothing
Personal hygiene items (soap, shampoo, etc.)
Drinking water
Non-perishable food/snacks
Eating utensils
Manual can opener
Disposable plates, cups, etc.
Flashlight
Batteries
Portable radio
Blanket
Pillow
First aid kit/first aid items
Prescription medicines
Contact lenses and solution
Car charger for cellular telephone
Money
Maps of area
Copies of important personal documents
I. Orders of Succession
Plans for transfer of power of senior leadership positions.
Provided for agency head and directors performing essential tasks.
From duration of incident to permanent.
II. Delegation of Authority
Specific and limited authority
Temporary in nature
To be reviewed by company legal counsel
III. Who is authorized to make decisions?
Department or agency head
Other key individuals
IV. Delegations should be predetermined & documented in writing
What authorities are delegated?
To whom?
Any exceptions or limitations?
V. Purpose of delegations
Approving emergency policy changes
Approving changes in SOPs
Empowering persons to act as emergency representatives
Personnel management decisions
Approving commitment of resources
Signing contracts.
