Disaster Preparedness for the VOAD

Bonnie Canal The Resiliency Institute

COOP vs. BCP

• COOP Defined: An effort within individual executive departments and agencies to ensure that Primary Mission Essential Functions (PMEFs) continue to be performed during a wide range of emergencies.

• BCP Defined: The ability of an organization to ensure continuity of service and support for its customers and to maintain its viability before, during, and after an event.

Some Quick Definitions

• Emergency planning are those procedures and steps done immediately after an interruption to business.

• Disaster recovery are the steps taken to restore some functions so that some level of services can be offered.

• Business continuity is restoration planning, completing the full circle to get your organization back to where it was before an interruption

Organizational Resilience depends on the resilience of the people you

rely on.

Think about it…

Challenges of a VOAD

• You respond when others are in disasters• Employee burnout• Others?

• Protect people and property• Resume critical business operations• Minimize downtime• Preserve reputation• Meet obligations

Objectives of Business Continuity Planning

Some Definitions• Emergency planning are those procedures and steps

done immediately after an interruption to business.

• Disaster recovery are the steps taken to restore some functions so that some level of services can be offered.

• Business continuity is restoration planning, completing the full circle to get your organization back to where it was before an interruption.

When is it a Disaster?

• When critical services aren’t happening.

• Can all employees recognize what a disaster is and what they should do?

• In the event of an emergency, all personnel should know what their roles are, and where they should go.

In Order to Build Resiliency-

• Build emergency preparedness into the culture of the organization.

• Orientation sessions for new employees should include an overview of the contents and a copy of the preparedness manual.

Keep in Mind

• You can’t possibly plan for every scenario; it would take all of one’s time and the plan would never get done.

• The goal is not to create a separate plan that addresses every risk, but to create one plan that address all risks.

• In other words, you don’t create one plan for a tornado, one for a flood, and one for a blackout.

Primary Questions

• What are the potential identifiable disasters (internal and external)?• How would each affect the organization’s

systems and programs?• Who do we depend on?• Who depends on us?

10 Steps to Preparedness

1. Assess Your Risk – Both Internally and Externally

2. Know Your Operations

3. Know Your IT Capabilities & Back Up Your Data

4. Prepare Your Supply Chain

5. Prepare Your Employees

6. Create a Crisis Communications Plan

7. Assemble Emergency Supplies

8. Identify an Alternate Location

9. Know Your Insurance Coverage & Finances

10.Test Your Plan

Plan for these 4 Things

• Only your local office in the building is unusable. For example, one or more offices in your space become temporarily unusable because of a flood. Some contents and material may be recoverable, some may not be.

• The entire building is gone. For example, a fire destroys the structure and its contents.

• A temporary disruption of services, such as an electricity outage.

• An impact in the large geographic area, rendering the area uninhabitable for an unknown amount of time.

Factors to Consider

• Historical: What types of emergencies have occurred in the community, at your facility, or nearby? (for example, fire, natural disasters, accidents, utility, etc.)

• Geographic: What can happen as a result of your location? (e.g., proximity to: flood-prone areas; hazardous material production, storage or use; major transportation routes; power plants, etc.)

Focus on Resilience

• Recognize – government can’t do it all.

• Stress –citizens need to be involved, engaged and prepared (managed expectations).

• Focus – on community-level efforts to prepare, protect, respond, and recover.

• Benefit – if done properly can speed up recovery process.

• End Game – lessen the time between response and recovery.

Turn Excuses Into Action

• We thought we had no risk• It takes too much time• It takes too much money• We had more important things to think about• We thought we were too small to need a plan• We backed up our computers and thought that

was enough• We didn’t know where to go for help

Resources

Institute for Business and Home Safetyhttp://www.ibhs.org/http://www.disastersafety.org/

Red Cross Ready Ratinghttp://readyrating.org/

Government Siteshttp://www.ready.gov/

Questions?

Bonnie CanalManaging Partner

The Resiliency Institute504-874-5474

bonniecanal@theresiliencyinstitute.com