Continuity of Operations & Your Agility Membership
Who is Agility?
Agility Recovery Process
Agility bridges the gap between disaster and survival.
Agility Membership
Membership Features
• Immediate protection
• myAgility Planning Portal
• Alert Notification
• 24-hour access
• Ongoing education programs
• Testing
Membership LifecycleAgility provides robust, easy-to-implement recovery solutions for an affordable monthly membership fee.
Implementation and Online Tools
Free, password protected, online planning tool. myAgility allows you to store, view and update pertinent recovery planning information.
Features:
• Alert Notification System – free email and text communication
• Store plans, contracts, critical documents, spreadsheets, pictures, records.
• Create user profile for each employee• Vendor management tool• Inventory management tool• Planning checklists, templates, forms
myAgility Family
Most organizations agree that employees are their most valuable asset. Steps taken to protect your employees and help them prepare personally for disaster are often the most important.
myAgility Family is a powerful web-based tool for Agility member employees and their families which includes:
• Personal Preparedness Plan Templates
• Weather Forecast Alert System
• Automated Reminder Service
• Contact Alert Notification System
• Virtual Safe Deposit Box for Critical Documents
myAgility Family is provided free to all employees of every Agility Member organization
Prepare to Survive.
Agenda:
• What is Continuity of Operations all About?
• Reality of Risk
• Planning Broken Down into 7 Questions
Prepare to Survive.
What is Disaster Recovery?
Disaster Recovery is the coordinated process of restoring systems, data and infrastructure to support key ongoing
business operations.
This is Information Technology (IT)
Disaster Recovery – What Is It?
An Answer to These Questions
1. Where to go to recover the technology and data?
2. How to recover the infrastructure need to run critical systems and applications?
3. How to confirm successful restore of systems and information?
4. Will it work for the business users?5. How do we return to normal operations
in an orderly fashion?
Prepare to Survive.
What is Continuity of Operations?
Continuity of Operations Planning is the process of systematically identifying mission-critical “processes” (not
necessarily application systems), procedures and functions to run the organization.
This is the organization and the people
COOP Planning – What Is It?
3 Requirements for Recovery
Cannot Recovery Successfully Without Each of These
Components
Technology
DataPeople
Adaptable = Resilient
The Goal of Preparedness
The Basics:1. Preparation prior to emergencies2. Grounded in self-awareness3. Accurate perception of reality4. Realistic optimism for the future
The ability to mitigate, withstand and respond effectively to disruptive
events.
The Keys To Resiliency
Prepare to Survive.
Reality of Risk
Some Disasters Happen with little to NO warning
Flooding Calgary, Alberta
Who We Are
Aerial view of the damageAgility recovering City Hall, 3 banks, and city’s pump station
West Liberty Story
Who We Are
“This is the most devastating recovery I have ever experienced. They had a 15 minute warning and it only took 15 seconds to devastate an entire city.”
- Mike Sidoti, Agility Mobile Recovery Manager
West Liberty Story
Who We Are
March 1 is official start of the tornado season Tornado outbreak in Tennessee Valley, Ohio Valley, and parts of the South 45 twisters total hit: Alabama (7), Georgia (5), Indiana (3), Kentucky (9),
Mississippi (1), Ohio (6), North Carolina (2), South Carolina (1), Tennessee (9), Virginia (1), West Virginia (2)
Most tornadoes were of EF3 strength One of the worst, if not the worst, March tornado events in history Tornadoes caused:
Devastating loss of 39 human lives Destroyed buildings Widespread power outages
March 2, 2012 Statistics
Who We Are
Employee training Crisis Communications Know how to accept help
and coordinate with State Police, National Guard, etc.
How do you avoid the “shock factor?”
Disasters can happen anywhere, anytime, to anyone.
Observations and Key Takeaways
Some Are Regional Events, Some Isolated Events
Case Study: City of Poquoson
Case Study: City of Poquoson
Some Impact Much More Than Your Office Space
New York City following Hurricane Sandy landfall on Oct 29, 2012
• Worst ice storm in state’s history
• 100% of Kentucky & Southern Missouri customers without electricity
• Obtained a generator as part of their disaster recovery plan
• Opened their offices to the local community as a warming shelter
Case Study: Paducah KY
Many Are Unexpected
Early Snow Storm South Dakota Oct 2013
• Arson shuts down community water system affecting water quality for 30,000
• Fire investigation delayed normal recovery
• Recovery Plan = multiple strategies to resume critical operation
Headline:
“Fire at Norwich Pump Station Disables Water System”
Case Study: Norwich Water
1. Power Loss2. Loss of Sales & Customers3. Length of Recovery4. Uninsured Loss
(for continuing operations)5. Uninsured Loss
(for destruction of physical property)
NFIB Research Foundation Report
Top Threats to Organizations
Risk Tolerance is unique to each business and should be developedand evaluated annually. Most companies underestimate the risk profile of their business and therefore understate or simply misunderstand their risk
tolerance until it is too late.
Recovery Events Seen By Agility
Disaster RecoveriesCategorized by Type (Nearly 300 Individual Events Logged)
Additional Equipment Need
16%
Building Fire5%
Construction/Renovations
3%
Phone Outage 9%Power Outage
40%
Water Damage/Man
made3%
Water Damage/Weather
3%
Server Failure4%
Internet Outage 9%
Computer Failure4%
Roof Damage4%
I. 15-40% – The number of businesses that fail following a natural or manmade disaster.*
II. 35% – The number of small to medium-sized businesses that have a comprehensive disaster recovery plan.**
III. 94% – Number of small business owners who believe a disaster could seriously disrupt their business within the next two years.***
IV. 51% – Number of Americans who have experienced at least one emergency situation involving lost utilities for at least 3 days, evacuation from their home or office, loss of communications with family members or had to provide first aid to others.****
*Insurance Information Institute, **Gartner, ***American Red Cross and FedEx Small Business Survey, 2007, ****American Red Cross/Harris Poll Survey, 2009.
The Reality of Disasters
Prepare to Survive.
To Answer in Your Plan
7 Questions…
Prepare to Survive.
1. Who is your team?
2. What is your risk?
3. What is critical?
4. Who do you rely on?
5. How do you communicate?
6. Is your staff prepared?
7. Have you tested it?
1. Who is your team?
Recovery Planning is Best Accomplished as a Team
Benefits 1. Multiple perspectives2. Accountability in numbers3. Greatest likelihood of success
Requirements 1. A chairperson2. Representation from key departments3. Endorsement from Executive Management
1. Who is your team?
Gaining Leadership Support
1. Focus on FundamentalsStart Simple, keep costs down, stress the need for a physical recovery location
2. Demonstrate the Need3. Establish the Risks & Rewards
Roughly estimate cost of downtime, potential loss of revenue & customers
4. Establish Required Resources
2. What is your risk?
Ask yourself:
• What types of emergencies have occurred in the past?
• What could happen as a result of your facility’s location(s)?
Then consider:
• Your top 3 risks/threats
• How would you recover from each of those top risks?
3. Can you recover the essentials?
• Know what functions are critical to your day-to-day operations
• What employees are needed to recover these critical functions?
• What additional resources are needed for successful recovery?
• Develop a proven recovery strategy for each critical function
4. Who do you rely on?
Understand the risk outside of your organization
Talk to your key vendors and suppliers about their recovery plans
Develop relationships with alternate vendors
Insure what can’t be protected
Beware of potential gaps in your supply chain
1. 3rd Party IT- What is their service level commitment to your firm?- Can they respond to you in a regional event?
2. Payroll Companies- Do you know their Recovery Plan?- What is the process for an interruption during Pay Cycle?- Are they integrated into your Exercise?
3. Delivery/Shipping Partners- What is the protocol for an interruption?- How will any delay from these partners affect your business?
4. Who do you rely on?
4. Who could you rely on?
Explore disaster recovery vendors/partners
• Consider the assets and services you need following a disaster, such as phone and internet communications, office operations, power, etc.
• Find one or more recovery vendors who can provide those assets or services
• Consider partnering regionally to achieve economies of scale
Internal Communications Strategies
Phone ListsComplete, Updated, Comprehensive
Backup Email/PhoneEmergency contact phone/email
Text MessagingDevelop Policy & Practice
Alert Notification SystemFree Weather Alerts, Company-wide
Call-in Recording System
Social Network platform
5. How do you communicate?
Contact your provider to learn about phone redirection capabilities and implementation process.
Develop a tactical response plan in the event of a phone outage. Will you:
Redirect lines to Voicemail?Redirect lines to Cell Phone?Redirect lines to second office or
partner?
Phone Redirection
5. How do you communicate?
Online Presence – Website Access
• First Point of Public Access
• Remote access to your Web Site?
• Ability to immediately post critical information to your site?
• Ensure your site can handle any potential spikes in traffic during emergency events
• Ensure your site is hosted remotely with redundant servers
5. How do you communicate?
Steps for Proper Media Communications
• Establish a Crisis Communications Team
• Identify Spokesperson(s) & prioritization
• Train your Spokesperson(s)
• Establish a policy for employeeinteraction with Media, on andoff-site
• Ensure all Employees know whothe Spokesperson is and how to reachthem
5. How do you Communicate?
Ensure Employees Know the Plan1. Do they Know the plan exists?2. Do they know where to find the plan?3. Do they know their primary role?4. Have you shared the plan with new hires?
6. Is Your Staff Prepared?
1. Critical Functions must continue2. Certain areas/departments may experience
greater demand3. Longer/Odd Hours may
require additional staffing4. Employee Absenteeism will
spike
For this checklist and others,please visit:
http://www.PrepareMyBusiness.org
6. Is Your Staff Prepared?
1. Do they have a plan?a) Evacuation/Shelter planb) Critical Document Storagec) Emergency Alert Systemd) Emergency/Go Kit
2. How can your organization help?a) Workshopsb) Checklistsc) Emergency Kitsd) Flu Shot Clinicse) Family Involvement
Days
6. Is Your Staff Prepared?
• HR policies (sick leave, travel, flex time)
• Comfort and location of recovery site
• Transportation to recovery site
• Childcare facilities at/or near recovery site
• Counselling and support
• Emergency housing for displaced employees
6. Is Your Staff Prepared?
• Assure payroll continuity
• Consider direct deposit of paychecks
• Create a policy on overtime pay during an event
• Cash is king – have plenty on hand
• Plan for continuing pay during downtime
• Increases employee loyalty
• Encourages employee return following an event
6. Is Your Staff Prepared?
• First Aid Kits
Install, Update, Resupply
• CPR Training
Hands Only CPR
• Fire Safety
Hazard Awareness, Fire Extinguishers
• Evacuation Planning
Building Evac, Area Evac, etc.
• Shelter in Place Training
Earthquake, Tornado, Active Shooter
6. Is Your Staff Prepared?
• Important Records
• Insurance Policies, Fixed Asset Inventory, Contracts
• Operating System Install Disks
• Licensing Keys/Passwords
• Letterhead
• Office Supplies
• Cash
• Mobile PhoneChargers/Extra Batteries
6. Is Your Staff Prepared?
Assemble Emergency Supplies
7. Have you tested your plan?
• Do an annual exercise and update the plan as necessary
• There is no pass or fail
• Make sure to re-educate employees when any changes to the plan are made
• Testing is a process not just a project
7. Have you tested your plan?
Test to Failure
Identify Break Points
Revise and
Correct
Train Staff
7. Have you tested your plan?
• Involve all departments• Develop a scenario with unexpected, creative
“twists”• Don’t be afraid of “pass/fail”, the point is to test
the limits and improve the plan• Involve outside suppliers, vendors and partners• Keep a running log of all activities
and questions/concerns• Conduct a “post exercise review”• Build on what you learned
to improve your plan
Case Study: Testing
Play
Case Study: Testing
Keys to Success
• Be flexible
• Use your plan as a “guideline”
• Enhance Managements’ decision making ability
• Listen to trusted sources
• Challenge your vendors
• Look after your staff & their families
• You alone cannot do it yourself
Taking Your Plan to the Next Level
• Review Insurance Coverage
• Prepare Your Supply Chain
• Institute a Physical Asset Management Program
• Establish a plan for physical relocation to a alternate recovery site
• Diversify your vendor/supplier network
• Participate in regional exercises
Questions?
Top Related