The process for creating a business’s preparedness plans should encompass as much as possible of what a business might need during an emergency. This includes communications planning, IT support and recovery, and continuity plans.
Response and Recovery Plans
Organize a business continuity team and compile a business continuity plan to manage a business disruption. Learn more about how to put together a business continuity plan with videos.
The need to communicate is immediate when an emergency occurs. Customers will want to know how they will be affected, and regulators and local government officials will need to be notified. Employees and their families will be concerned and want information. Developing a plan in advance will let your business leaders respond to these communications needs promptly.
The actions taken in the initial minutes of an emergency are critical. A prompt warning to employees to evacuate, shelter or lockdown can save lives. A call for help to public emergency services that provides full and accurate information will help the dispatcher send the right responders and equipment. Establishing an emergency response plan ahead of time will save valuable minutes when an emergency happens.
Technology recovery strategies should be developed to restore hardware, applications and data in time to meet the needs of the business recovery. An information technology disaster recovery plan (IT DRP) should be developed in conjunction with the business continuity plan.