As you may recall, BOLDplanning recently kicked off a series of blog posts on the use of the Reports Module within its online platform for Emergency Operations Planning (EOP) and Continuity of Operations (COOP) planning. Why? The company believes that the Reports Module is a very useful tool for monitoring plan activity and revealing critical gaps, especially as they relate to three key EOP and COOP elements—people, places and things. The last post addressed the potential problems associated with people, or Contacts; this one will examine places in regard to relocation, or the use of Alternate Facilities.
The Problem(s) with Places
Certain critical events, such as fires and floods, may force an organization to operate from a different location, or locations, for a few days, a few weeks, or even a few months. That is, if it’s going to continue to perform Essential Functions and serve the needs of customers, or the community at large. For this reason, continuity planners know that they must not only determine possible Alternate Facilities in advance, but also flesh out potential problems so that the transition to and from such places goes as smoothly as possible. This includes building accessibility, the moving of people and equipment, the availability of public utilities, Internet access, and a whole lot more.
Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to keep such critical information current in a paper-based plan. It is also difficult and time-consuming to scour the many pages within a binder (or two or three, etc.) to find the details you need, especially in an emergency. Even worse, the plan may not even be accessible, leaving you to make important relocation decisions without all the facts in hand.
The Deconfliction Report
With the BOLDplanning.com platform, and more specifically, its Alternate Facility Deconfliction Report, users have all the information they need in a matter of seconds. They know exactly which departments plan on using which Alternate Facility (or facilities) during a disruption. They know each location’s capacity, or lack thereof, to accommodate secondary operations. They know how to proceed with changing places, and as a result, how to restore operations faster and more efficiently.
In the next Reports Module blog post, you’ll learn how to solve problems pertaining to the many “things” associated with EOP and COOP plans.
If you would like to learn more about the BOLDplanning.com platform and the Reports Module, email info@BOLDplanning.com or call 615.469.5558. We’re always happy to answer questions that may help your organization be better prepared.
