Continuity Planning

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Continuity Planning as a Benefit to All
“Continuity planning facilitates the performance of essential functions during all-hazards emergencies or other situations that may disrupt normal operations” (FEMA, 2013, p.1). The bottom line with Continuity Planning is that it allows day-to-day operations to continue concurrently with Emergency Response Operations. The September 11, 2001 response to terrorist attack in New York was an excellent example of this. While planes were crashing into the World Trade Center, and first responders were reacting to the disaster, the government of New York City still had duties and responsibilities to other parts of city. There were city employees to pay, public transportation to manage, and public order to …show more content…

While a disaster may temporarily re-assign the primary individual within a leadership role, a continuity plan identifies secondary and tertiary personnel who can perform those duties. “Organizations should provide for a clear line of succession in the absence of existing leadership and the necessary delegations of authority to ensure that succeeding leadership has the legal and other authorities to carry out their duties” (FEMA, 2013, p.2). An example of this would be a fire chief whose home was flooded by an event, thus making the chief a victim of the event and unable to respond. The deputy fire chief would be able to perform the chief’s role, thus ensuring a continuity of operations for the …show more content…

It is especially critical to ensure their operations during a crisis. This means redundant communication paths must be identified, while functioning under reduced capabilities. If an organizations primary means of communication is cell phone, they must consider how to operate if cell towers are non-operational. What is their secondary means of communication? The Army describes continuity of communication as PACE: Primary, Alternate, Contingency, and Emergency (Ryan, 2013). The Army includes four means of communication into every plan. Continuity planning for facilities is nearly as complex as communications. If a facility becomes unusable, the operation must move to a secondary facility previously identified within a continuity plan. The secondary facility must be able to provide the power and space needed to perform operations. It must also be close enough to allow a timely “jump” from one facility to the next, while being out of harm’s way. The planning for a secondary facility may require memorandums of agreement with outside organizations in order to have an adequate facility

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