Business Continuity Planning

" Of those companies faced with a catastrophic disaster without an emergency management (disaster) plan - over the next two years:  43% will never reopen and 51% will fail within two years, for a failure rate of 94%.  Only 6% will survive.  Can your workplace afford this?!"
(Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross
www.tallytown.com)

Loma Prieta Earthquake
Santa Cruz

Disasters hit with little or no warning.  In a matter of minutes or less your business can be gone.  Is your business ready?  Each of the buildings on the left where posted "UNSAFE" for occupancy.  The UNSAFE designgation meant that the building could not be occupied until repairs where made.  Additionally, you can not enter such a building to retrieve your business records and equipment. 

All businesses need a business continuity plan.  These plans are aimed at reducing the potential for business interruption by planning  now the activities that will be needed to fully recover from disasters and emergencies:  to keep you in business!

Business continuity plans include:

     --Business Impact Analysis - An evaluative determination of
        the critical components of your business operations and
        their vulnerability to hazards.

     --Emergency Response - We develop an organizational
        structure to response to disasters and emergencies
        including operational checklists, postion checklists, roles,
        and responsibilities.

     --Recovery Operations - We expand the emergency response
        organizational structure to incorporate personnel to
        handle recovery operations.  This section includes
        operational checklists, recovery actions, position checklists,
        roles and responsibilities.

     --Training and Exercises - Once the plan is complete, we
        will provide full training to the response and recovery
        organization in the contents of the plan.  This training is
        followed with a tabletop exercise to slowly walk through the
        process followed by a functional exercise to test the plan.

Your business is your life, your livelihood, and a major investment.  You protect your business with a business plan and various kinds of insurance.  Your business grows because you have a marketing plan. Do you have a business continuity plan?

The quote at the top of this page provides telling evidence of what can happen to a business that is not prepared for a disaster.  However,  not only natural disasters may cause a business to fail.  More common events like extended power outages, hazardous materials incidents within the vicintiy of your business, and even acts of terrorism and sabotage directed either at your business or just within the area, can be detrimental to continued operations.

Click on the "next" button below and see how prepared your business is for disasters and emergencies.

Loma Prieta Earthquake
Santa Cruz

Northridge Earthquake
Los Angeles

Unsafe Structure from
a Huricane
Courtesy of EQE International

Unsafe Structure from
a Huricane
Courtesy of EQE International