This overview program, first presented to a group of high-tech companies, focuses on the most important tasks and issues in preparing a disaster plan for a small business.

1. Disaster:
Plan and Prepare
Peter D. Lucash
Digital CPE, LLC
The Art of Business
Charleston Digital Corridor
February 17, 2006
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2. Threats in Charleston
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3. Business disaster and
continuity planning
• Anticipate risks to business
• How long could you afford to go without
operating?
• How would you continue?
• This is a business function, not just IT
• Plan and test
• Include business partners
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4. © 2006 Digital CPE, LLC © Peak 10
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5. Four Facets
• People
• Communication
• Workplace
• Stuff
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6. People are number 1
• Where will they work?
• How will they get there?
• Who will you need and when?
• What about families?
• What about basic need?
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7. People
• It’s your business and it is personal
• Employees and their families have to
evacuate, have extended families, and
have homes to secure
• Payroll
• Personal recovery vs. business recovery
• Two income HH = two sets of time
demands with same problem
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8. Communication
• Phone lists:
o Employees
o Customers
o Vendors
• Tools:
o Cell/sat phones
o Message boards
o Email/web sites
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9. Contact lists
• Keep current
• Evacuation plans
• Meeting point
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10. Contact Card - Staff
Employee/Contractor Contact Card Date:
Name: Title:
Street Address: Office Phone:
City/State/Zip: Home Phone:
Cell or Pager: Email:
Alternate: Evacuation Destination:
Notes:
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11. Workplace
• Staff needs a physical place to work
• Power
• Access
o Roads open and passable
o areas restricted to residents?
• Services:
o Phone
o Delivery
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12. Resources
• Equipment lists:
o Hardware
o Software
o Other hard assets
o Other references
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13. Backup data
• Media storage
• Tapes – frequently corrupt
• Online services
• Hot backup
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14. Customer care
• Current list
• A/R
• Contact
• Notify with your plans
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15. Record Card - Vendor
Product/Service:
Vendor:
Street Address:
City/State/Zip:
Contact: Ph:
24 Hr
Alternate: Fax:
Other:
Notes:
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16. Stuff
• Can –and how – will you be re-stocked?
• Where will you put it?
• IP: backups
o Duplicate offsite
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17. Risk assessment
• Fire
• Wind/rain
• Terrorism
• Pandemic
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18. Hurricane
• Warning – time on our side
• Notify
• Group evacuation?
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19. Other
• Assist in evacuation plans
• Assist in recovery – personal
• IDs for staff to gain access
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20. IBM Webinar
2006 Lessons Learned from
Hurricane Season
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21. Lessons Learned: People
Adopted from webinar by IBM Corporation IBM Business Continuity and Recovery Services (2006)
Problems:
• Employees weren’t available or 100% focused on the job
• Employees didn’t know what to do
• Employee safety was not considered
• There were no emergency loans / funds for employees
• What about the families, spouses and/or children
What to do:
• Consider employees prior, during and after event
• Ensure your employees are addressed in your BCP (roles during
and after disaster, safety, trauma, transportation, housing and funding)
• Consider addressing employees’ families in BCP
Include IT, lines of business, HR and auditors in BCP
Consider having alternate teams available
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22. Lessons learned:
Communication
Problems:
• Cell phone service out
• No central point to call/view
• No power = no phones
• Communication with public safety agencies
• Media relations
What to do:
• Satellite phones and/or out of area cell phones
• Website bulletin board, group
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23. Lessons learned: Data
Problem: Tapes at risk
• Location
• Corrupted
• Restoration
What to do:
• Offsite
• Practice/test restoration
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24. Lessons learned: Infrastructure
Problems:
• Storage in vulnerable locations
• Structural damage: physical, mold
What to do:
• Store above ground/flood level
• Pre-arrange for contractors
• Assess vulnerabilities
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25. Lessons learned: Hardware
Problems:
• No power
• Service contracts
• Ability to relocate
What to do:
• Plan or contract for replacement
• Identify relocation and test
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26. Resources
Institute for Business and Home Safety
www.ibhs.org
US Dept. of Homeland Security
www.ready.org
IBM Global Services/Business and Continuity
www-1.ibm.com/services/us/index.wss/itservice/bcrs/a1000411
Disaster Resource.com
www.disaster-resource.com
Disaster Recovery Journal
www.drj.com
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27. Getting started
• Compile lists
o Employees
o Vendors
o Assets
 Physical, financial
• Secure data/information systems
• Risk assessment
• Insurance
• Plan
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28. Q&A
People First
Backup
Plan
Practice
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29. About the presenter
Peter Lucash is the CEO of Digital CPE, a training, information and
consulting firm. He is a former EMT and hospital administrator, and is an
active instructor in business for online and ground universities.
Help your community businesses prepare!
Peter has also developed a hands on workshop for small
businesses to develop a working disaster plan. In this half day
session, attendees will start to work on their plan and leave with
key elements in place and a task plan for completion.
Call or email Peter at 843.402.0900 or
peter@digitalcpe.com
© 2006 Digital CPE, LLC
All rights reserved