Planning for the Unexpected - Part 3

It is relatively easy to convenience yourself that disasters won't happen in our town or to our business; it's would turn even the seasoned Publisher or Production Director into a nervous wreck to constantly be thinking about "what if''s". Even though the probability of a disaster, such as flood or fire, are very low, every business should have a Continuity of Operations Plan, also called a Business Continuity Plan or Disaster Plan, to be prepared when an event occurs.

An "event" is not always a regional disaster or event that makes front page news, it could be as simple as a power outage or loss of water to the building. Losing electricity and water to the building will bring production to a stop just as fast as a flood, fire, or earthquake.

The Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) is your organizations plan, roles and responsibilities to reestablish operations of essential functions at an alternate location within a reasonable time, and for most daily newspapers the timing is 8-12 hours.

The first step in establishing your COOP is to identify and prioritize your business functions. Think of this as the core business functions that must continue under a broad range of circumstances. For a newspaper, the essential function is publishing the daily edition. Utilize your managers and staff to document the essential functions and then prioritize which functions must be done.

There are many operational benefits from COOP planning in addition to emergency preparedness:
1. Ability to anticipate events and necessary response actions.
2. Adapt to sudden changes in business conditions.
3. Improve performance through identification of essential functions, work processes and communication methods.
4. Improve management controls by establishing measures of performance.
5. Improve communication to support essential functions.

It is essential that once you develop your COOP plan, a'' employees are trained to execute the plan and a communication network is established. Even basic basic communication can be neglected in a pressing situation. A communication plan for employees should include:
1. Regular training and communication with employees on the COOP and business communications plan.
2. Include procedures for securing the work site and to notify key emergency, management and COOP management personnel.
3. Include instructions to employees through a centralized website or phone system, updating status of business units and where staff should report for work.

In the event of a COOP situation, it is important that all employees contact their family members to ensure them that they are safe.