Planning

In developing an all hazards preparedness plan, potential hazards should be identified, vulnerabilities assessed, and potential impacts analyzed. The risk assessment identifies threats or hazards and opportunities for hazard prevention, deterrence, and risk mitigation. It should also identify scenarios to consider for emergency planning. The business impact analysis (BIA) identifies time sensitive or critical processes and the financial and operational impacts resulting from disruption of those business processes. The BIA also gathers information about resources requirements to support the time sensitive or critical business processes.

This information is useful in making informed decisions regarding investments to offset risks and avoid business disruptions.

• Resource Management: Resources needed for responding to emergencies, continuing business operations and communicating during and after an incident should be identified and assessed.
• Emergency Response Plan: Plans to protect people, property, and the environment should be developed. Plans should include evacuation, sheltering in place, and lock down as well as plans for other types of threats identified during the risk assessment.
• Crisis Communication Plan: A plan should be established to communicate with employees, customers, the news media, and stakeholders.
• Business Continuity Plan: A business continuity plan that includes recovery strategies to overcome the disruption of business should be developed.
• Information Technology Plan: A plan to recover computer hardware, connectivity and electronic data to support critical business processes should be developed.
• Employee Assistance & Support: The business preparedness plan should encourage employees and their families to develop family preparedness plans. Plans should also be developed to support the needs of employees following an incident.
• Incident Management: An incident management system is needed to define responsibilities and coordinate activities before, during, and following an incident.
• Training: Persons with a defined role in the preparedness program should be trained to do their assigned tasks. All employees should be trained so they can take appropriate protective actions during an emergency.
  
  For more information on reducing risk or any of our other services, please contact Jeff Harrison at jeff.harrison@cbservices.org or 800.807.0300 ext 2543.