As part one of its citywide efforts to ensure resiliency of government operations in the event of a disruption, the City of West Palm Beach, Florida, recently took part in a Continuity of Operations (COOP) Plan Development Workshop facilitated by BOLDplanning Inc. 

During the one-day workshop, which took place on Thursday, May 6, 2021, participants received basic COOP training and collaborated as teams to develop continuity plans for all operational branches of the City’s organizational structure. They also shared in continuity planning best practices (offered by BOLDplanning subject matter experts, or SMEs), James Woulfe, CBCP, PCP, and Kayla McMahan) and learned more about the widely deployed BOLDplanning.com platform. 

The cloud-based platform, as so many planners across the country know, features a FEMA-compliant continuity plan template and a user-friendly interface that allows them to confidently fill in the gaps, including the people, places, and things, associated with comprehensive, actionable COOP plans. 

Prior to the workshop, West Palm Beach Assistant Fire Chief and Emergency Manager, Brent Bloomfield, worked with BOLDplanning to customize the online platform for the City’s use as WPBready.com. 

Feedback following the single-day workshop was highly positive, including comments such as: 

“The collaboration and inputting of information was extremely beneficial.”

“Easy-to-use system.”

“The instructors were extremely helpful.”

At BOLDplanning, we wish to extend a special thank you to all who attended the May 2021 workshop, including Mayor Keith James and City Administrator Faye Johnson, who shared some very valuable organizational and operational insight throughout the day’s activities. 

As for part two of this COOP planning initiative, BOLDplanning’s SMEs will conduct qualitative and quantitative reviews of the City of West Palm Beach’s plans. Just as importantly, they will provide the City’s planners with critical feedback and additional recommendations for improvements, helping ensure the plans’ usefulness today, tomorrow, and in the future.