Pandemic: Continuity of Operations

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Pandemic Continuity of Operations Business
Continuity

• Stanislaus Operational Area
• Gary Hinshaw
• Fire Warden/Office of Emergency Services
• Stanislaus County

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Agenda

• Basic Continuity Planning Assumptions
• Pandemic Planning Assumptions
• Planning Stakeholders
• Planning Challenges
• Plan Elements
• Lessons Learned

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Basic Assumptions

• Definitions
• Continuity of Operations
• Continuity of Government
• Business Continuity
• Continuity of Operations generally has two
  assumptions
• Back to business as usual within 30 days or
  less
• Go from the affected site to the unaffected
  site and resume operations
• Neither apply with a Pandemic.

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Pandemic Planning Assumptions

• Up to 40 peak absenteeism
• Possibly greater for frontline public safety
  and service workers
• May last as long as 18 months with up to three
  waves
• Greatest impact in the first four months
• Critical functions often depend on contractors
  and vendors
• Social infrastructure stressed but functional
• Potential long-term closures schools, churches,
  events, malls, etc.

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Pandemic Planning Assumptions

• Less than six weeks warning
• No remedies immediately available
• Antivirals (Tamiflu) in short supply
• Vaccines take 6 to 9 months to develop
• Mutual Aid availability of resources

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Continuity Planning Stakeholders

• Emergency/Continuity Planner
• Human Resources
• Security
• Safety
• Travel
• Public Information
• Purchasing
• Legal
• Telecommunications
• Risk Management
• Executive

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Organizations Requiring COOP Planning

• Public Safety Agencies
• Law Enforcement
• Fire
• Emergency Medical Services
• Public Safety Answering Points (Dispatch Centers)
• Public Works
• Public Health
• Government
• Human Resources
• Telecommunications
• Information Technologies
• Executive Board
• Private Sector
• Utilities
• Medical
• Service
• Small business

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Planning Challenges What are Essential
Functions?

• Those programs or people that enable an
  organization
• Provide vital services
• Exercise civil authority
• Maintain safety
• Sustain the economy
• Examples
• Communications
• Evacuation
• Shelter
• Medical services
• Water
• Transportation

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Planning Challenges

• Category I
• Essential - must be at work
• Category II
• Essential - can work at home
• Category III
• Non-essential - can work at home
• Category IV
• Non-essential no need to work at home

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Planning Challenges

• Category I Needs
• Social Distancing
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Hygiene Education
• Spread among shifts, work spaces
• Employees clean areas frequently
• Eliminate all face-to-face meetings
• Reduce/Eliminate contact with public

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Planning Challenges

• Category II Needs
• Broadband connection
• County sponsored computers
• Work from home 1 day/month
• Demonstrate ability in advance
• County IT support for the home
• Internet capacity

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Planning Challenges

• Category III and IV
• Not working? How long do you pay them? Partial
  pay?
• Benefits?
• Bargaining unit agreements?
• Other roles?

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Planning Challenges

• Other issues
• Employees refuse to come to work?
• Family sick but employee is well come to work?
• Getting sick workers comp issue?
• Day care?
• Jobs with face-to-face public exposure
  liability?
• Restrict travel on days off?
• Communicating with employees
• Updated contact info

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Planning Challenges Public Info

• Who
• What
• How
• Public Education Outreach Key

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Planning Challenges Security

• Visitor restrictions / screening
• When
• How
• Exceptions
• Authority
• Training
• Personal Protective Equipment
• Personal Hygiene

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Planning Challenges Facilities

• Janitorial
• Cleaning procedures
• PPE
• Disinfectants
• Contract limits
• HVAC
• Filters
• Recycled air

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Planning Challenges Purchasing

• New, scarce, numerous equipment
• PPE
• Disinfectants
• Supply chain analysis
• Critical supply providers
• What if? Ports, UPS closed, etc.
• Mail and Print Services

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Planning Challenges Risk Management

• Insurance
• Coverage for loss, disruption
• If not, do you need/want it?
• Revenue
• Model 10-30 for 90-120 days
• Model long-term loss (gt18 months)

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Planning Challenges Management Approval /
Support

• Define role of senior management
• Write plan and seek approval
• Cost estimate to implement
• Commitment to Plan Development
• Funding
• On going process

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Planning Challenges Emergency Management

• Virtual EOC Distributed Operations
• Telecommunications
• Conference calls
• Web meetings
• E-mail
• Web site
• Succession planning (Continuity of Govt)
• EOC team
• Senior executives

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Planning Challenges Implementing the Plan

• Employee education
• Supplies and equipment
• Planning team tabletop exercise
• Test and validate
• Work from home
• Telecommunications
• EOC tabletop exercise
• Management status briefings

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Plan Elements

• Purpose and Objectives
• Supporting Plans
• Planning Assumptions
• Prepare stage
• Response stage
• Recover stage
• Annex

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Plan Elements

• Purpose and Objectives
• Reduce transmission of virus among employees,
  clients, and partners
• Minimize illness among employees and clients
• Maintain mission-critical operations and services
• Minimize social disruption and economic impacts

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Plan Elements

• Supporting Plans
• State/Federal Emergency Operations Plans
• Local City/County EOPs
• State/County Pandemic Plans
• Corporate Plans
• Business Resumption Plans

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Plan Elements

• Planning Assumptions
• Time Period
• Prevention and Treatment
• Staffing
• Vendors of services and/or products

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Plan Elements

• Prepare stage
• Authorities and Protocols
• Operations Assessment
• Job Functions
• Pandemic Policies
• Product and Services Vendors
• Employee Communications
• Infection Control and Prevention
• Client Communications

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Plan Elements

• Response Stage
• Activation and Command
• Operations
• Job Functions
• Pandemic Policies
• Communications
• Infection Control

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Plan Elements

• Recover stage
• Activation
• Operations
• Process Assessment
• Communications

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Plan Elements

• Annex
• Pandemic Influenza Planning Team
• Authority and Procedures
• Essential Operations
• Essential Job Functions
• Pandemic Policies
• Management of Ill Employees
• Product and Services Vendors
• Information Dissemination Plan
• Informational Materials
• Infection Control

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Lessons Learned - Katrina

• Continuity of operations at the local level
• Unified command not properly exercised at all
  levels
• Loss of communication systems breakdowns
• Emergency management software
• Local Emergency Operations Plans, are they
  viable?

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Lessons Learned - Katrina

• Evacuation plans for medical community
• Formalized mutual aid plans for regional, state
  and federal resources
• Permanent staffing dedicated to emergency
  management

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What can you do now

• Stay informed
• Have a plan
• Keep a list of emergency services numbers
• Add to your current emergency supplies kit
• Take care of yourself
• Have a plan for work and school
• Be prepared to care for someone who is sick at
  home

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Lessons Learned - Katrina

• Emergency Operations Center
• Emergency Support Functions (ESF) work areas
  outside of EOCs
• Public Information Plan
• Joint Information Center

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Los Angeles - Flu Season 1997-1998

• Public asked to avoid unnecessary ER visits
• Hospitals full and bursting at the seams!
• People just kept coming in, but not enough beds,
  gurneys, or ventilators.
• Emergency staff working double shifts and sick

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Conclusion

• Emergency Management is like herding cats!
• Together we are stronger than individually
• Preparing is our front line of defense
• Communications is key
• Questions