Earlier this week, April 2 and 3, 2019, BOLDplanning facilitated Continuity of Operations (COOP) workshops in beautiful Durham, North Carolina. The workshops, led by BOLDplanning Senior Project Manager, James Woulfe, CBCP, CHEP, CHPCP, and Regional Business Development and Customer Success Director, Carlin J. Alford, focused on COOP plan development for both City of Durham and various Durham County departments. Among those in attendance were representatives from the City Clerk’s Office, Emergency Operations, Human Resources, Information Technology, the County Attorney’s Office, the Durham County Sheriff’s Office, and the Department of Water Management, to name a few.

Ironically, at a time when so many were focused on emergency preparedness, there was a shooting reported outside the Durham County Courthouse on Wednesday, April 3. One person was injured and two were taken into custody, according to media reports. As a precaution, some of the departments represented in the workshops were affected by a temporary shutdown. A short break was taken, giving attendees the chance to respond to emergency notifications and check in with their respective offices.

Even with the morning’s disruption, the COOP workshops continued, as did a lot of conversation about the day’s unexpected events. Such situations only reinforce the need for creating (and fostering) a culture of preparedness. BOLDplanning will certainly discuss the topic more when the company returns to Durham for a round of next-level workshops at the end of the month.