Continuity of Government

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Continuity of Government
The Honorable Edward G. Rendell,
Governor Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

• COOP PLANNING
• COMMUNICATIONS

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The CoG System
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Communications

• Communications planning is central to the
  CoG/COOP plan.
• Without effective and reliable methods for
  communications in an emergency, all the planning
  would be meaningless and the situation would lead
  to chaos.
• The communications component of the CoG/COOP plan
  requires well defined chains of communication
  with alternative means of communicating defined.

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COMMUNICATIONS PLANNING GOALS

• Capability commensurate with Agencys critical
  functions and activities.
• Ability to communicate with the CoG/COOP Team,
  management and other agency components.
• Ability to communicate with other agencies, and
  to those which the Agency provides the services
  as well as to emergency personnel.

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Telecommunications

• Digital, electronic or automated systems used in
  transmitting messages between remote locations.
• Examples include telephone, cable, radio,
  television, e-mail and internet service.

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COMMUNICATION PLANNINGSTEPS

• The first step is to assess those communication
  systems supporting each critical function.
• The second step is to identify controls that
  could prevent interruption of primary
  communication channels and alternative modes of
  communication in case the primary modes are not
  available.
• The final step is to create a chain of
  communication(s).

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Step 1 Communication Systems Supporting
Critical Functions

• If necessary, complete a separate worksheet on
  each function. Review information already
  gathered on vital systems and equipment for clues
  on communication systems that support critical
  processes and services and, in turn, their
  associated critical functions.
• List the current vendor and its contact
  information, the services that are provided and
  any special emergency services the vendor has to
  offer.

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Step 2 Preventive Controls

• Attempt to avoid the occurrence of unwanted
  disruptions such as data loss through power
  outages, equipment malfunction and destruction.
• Preventive controls are necessary in mitigating
  risk to those communication systems that support
  critical functions both at the primary and
  alternate work sites.

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Preventive Controls (Examples)

• Uninterruptible power supplies to provide short
  term backup power to system components.
• Fire and Smoke Detectors/Suppression systems.
• Water sensors in the ceiling and floor for
  computer and telecommunication rooms.
• Generators.

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Step 3 Identify Alternative Modes of
Communication

• When preventive controls fail, an agency should
  have alternative providers and / or modes of
  communication in place to fill the gap.
• This can be handled by having a separate
  emergency communication system set up or by using
  communications already in place. i.e., cell
  phones for voice lines.

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Interoperability

• The ability of a system or a product to work with
  other systems or products without special effort
  on part of the user.

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Continuity of Government COOP PLANNING COMMUNICATI
ONS
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Objectives

• Critical Processes
• Resources
• Recovery Strategies
• Support Services
• Key Individuals
• Identification of Team Functions

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Objectives

• Establishes Overall Authority and Responsibility.
• Provide Tools and Training to Facilitate Plans.
• Define Recovery Strategies
• Periodic Testing Cycles.

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Media Relations

• Another critical consideration in CoG/COOP
  planning is the media. The media play an
  important role in disseminating information to
  the public.
• Agencies should consider having a representative
  from their press office on the CoG/COOP Team.
• If one does not exist, one person on the team
  should be the designee to speak to the press.

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Chain of Communication Create A Rapid Recall
List.

• We must be able to communicate to the key
  personnel of the agency to advise them of the
  CoG/COOP activation.
• The rapid recall list or personnel contact list
  must be constantly maintained.

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Deliverables

• Summary of current communication systems that
  includes existing or planned preventive controls.
• Identification of the alternative modes of
  communication that would be utilized to support
  the critical business functions.
• Summary of how media will be dealt with during
  the event.
• Validation that a rapid recall list has been
  completed and that it will be part of the plan.

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Questions?

• Thank You!