Emergency Preparedness and Business Continuity

Question 1

After-action report

Answer 1

Document that describes the incident response and findings related to system response performance. This process is also referred to as “lessons learned.”

Question 2

Business continuity

Answer 2

Maintenance and/or recovery of business operations during and after conditions of duress (a disaster).

Question 3

Business continuity plan

Answer 3

A document containing the recovery timeline methodology, test-validated documentation, procedures, and action instructions developed specifically for use in restoring organization operations in the event of a declared disaster. To be effective, most also require testing, skilled personnel, access to vital records, and alternate recovery resources including facilities.

Question 4

Business continuity planning

Answer 4

Ongoing process supported by senior management and funded to ensure that (1) the impact of potential losses of operation is fully understood, (2) effective strategies are developed to continue critical processes during the emergency and to recover other business processes within defined recovery times and (3) plans are supported through testing, training of personnel and periodic review

Question 5

Business impact analysis (BIA)

Answer 5

During this process, an organization team and/or consultant gathers information about what resources will be needed to resume essential functions after an emergency and continue them until normal operations can be restored.

Question 6

Business process analysis (BPA)

Answer 6

A business tool that is commonly used to identify ways in which a process can be made more efficient, but because it clearly describes the required inputs and steps to generate a desired output, it is also a valuable emergency planning tool.

Question 7

Chain of command

Answer 7

The number of reporting authority levels between a given job position and the top authority level in the sequence. It also defines the order in which authority may devolve to other specific individuals in the leader’s absence.

Question 8

Check-in

Answer 8

Process whereby resources first report to an incident. Could include incident command post, camps or staging areas.

Question 9

Cold site

Answer 9

A location that does not include furnishings or equipment but can be made ready in a relatively short amount of time.

Question 10

Continuity of operations plan (COOP)

Answer 10

The way in which the various functions within the organization will act together, in a coordinated fashion, to respond to an emergency from the initial report through response and recovery.

Question 11

Critical processes

Answer 11

These activities are referred to as mission-essential functions, because they contribute directly to the purpose that drives or justifies the organization’s existence.

Question 12

Delegation of authority

Answer 12

Statement provided to the incident commander delegating authority and assigning responsibility. Can include objectives, priorities, expectations, constraints and other considerations or guidelines as needed.

Question 13

Disaster recover planning

Answer 13

Developing and testing plans to resume processes, restore/ replace the affected site and meet the temporary and longterm needs of occupants and community. Plans also include processes for post-incident debriefing to improve prevention and preparation efforts.

Question 14

Drive-away kits

Answer 14

These kits contain equipment, information and supplies necessary for the performance of the essential function if the facility is unavailable and business continuity plans are activated.

Question 15

Emergency assembly area

Answer 15

Predesignated safe location to which occupants are evacuated and where they can be accounted for, receive essential services and await directions from first responders and emergency response teams.

Question 16

Emergency communication

Answer 16

Process for reporting incidents internally and externally and notifying occupants, support teams, contractors, occupant families and facility community; emergency communication equipment and services; process to communicate serious injury or death to family members; protocol for communicating with media.

Question 17

Emergency level designations

Answer 17

Criteria for assigning different emergency levels.

Question 18

Emergency management

Answer 18

Organized analysis, planning, decision making and assignment of resources to mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from the effects of all hazards, which may be natural or human-made, accidental or intentional.

Question 19

Emergency operations center

Answer 19

Physical location at which the coordination of information and resources to support incident management activities normally takes place. This may be a temporary facility or may be located in a more central or permanently established facility.

Question 20

Emergency planning

Answer 20

Process of identifying hazards and exposures; mitigating risk; developing training, policies and procedures to prevent or minimize loss during a disaster; developing procedures to guide the actions and decisions of key personnel during a disaster; rehearsing responses to ensure that the procedures are effective and roles and responsibilities are clear; and learning from incidents or near misses to correct and improve emergency preparedness.

Question 21

Emergency preparedness

Answer 21

The state of being prepared for all types of emergencies and ready to respond to save lives and property and to support a return to normalcy as soon as possible.

Question 22

Emergency response

Answer 22

Activities that address the short-term, direct effects of an incident. Includes immediate actions to save lives and property and meet occupant needs and execution of emergency preparedness plans.

Question 23

External communication

Answer 23

Collaborating with first responders and insurers who can provide useful advice on preparedness.

Question 24

Functions

Answer 24

The particular job positions, activities and roles that an organization performs. In emergency preparedness, this terms identifies the roles included in the Incident Command System (ICS): command, operations, planning, logistics and finance/ administration, and intelligence.

Question 25

Hot site

Answer 25

A workspace that is completely ready to be occupied and used. All necessary equipment and furnishings are on-site, cabling is in place and services can be turned on immediately.

Question 26

Incident command post

Answer 26

Field location at which the primary tactical level, on-scene incident command functions are performed. May be colocated with the incident base or other incident facilities.

Question 27

Incident commander

Answer 27

Individual responsible for all incident activities, including the development of strategies and tactics and the ordering and release of resources. This person has overall authority and responsibility for conducting incident operations and is responsible for the management of all incident operations at the incident site.

Question 28

Lockdown

Answer 28

Situation in which occupants are directed to lock or barricade themselves into a secure area without glass doors or walls, turn off lights and maintain silence until first responders provide further directions.

Question 29

Memorandum of agreement (MOA)

Answer 29

A reciprocal agreement to provide each other a specific amount of workspace if an emergency disables one of the facilities. Organizations may also pool their resources to establish and maintain common contingency workspaces.

Question 30

Memorandum of understanding (MOU)

Answer 30

Document that describes very broad concepts of mutual understanding of goals and plans shared by parties. This may precede a more detailed memorandum of agreement (MOA) that describes in detail the specific responsibilities of, and actions to be taken by, each of the parties so that their goals can be accomplished.

Question 31

Mission-essential functions (MEF’s)

Answer 31

If an abrupt interruption in a given function for more than a defined time would interfere with the organization’s mission.

Question 32

Nonessential functions

Answer 32

These activities sustain normal operations but are usually not necessary during brief emergency interruptions.

Question 33

Plan maintenance

Answer 33

Schedule and responsibility for reviewing and updating plan components and member contact information.

Question 34

Principles of Emergency Management

Answer 34

Intended to provide organizations with a common framework on which to model their emergency preparedness programs.

Question 35

Reconstitution

Answer 35

Includes all those activities that are necessary to bring the facility back to pre-emergency condition.

Question 36

Recovery

Answer 36

Includes activities immediately following the emergency aimed at stabilizing the facility (e.g., repairing critical damage to the facility structure and the building envelope) and resuming building systems (e.g., water, heat, power) so that the facility can begin functioning, even if it is at a reduced level.

Question 37

Risk management

Answer 37

Process of identifying and analyzing potential hazards or threats and selecting an appropriate management strategy. The ISO 31000:2009 risk management standard defines this as “the effect of uncertainty upon objectives.”

Question 38

Risk management strategies

Answer 38

Organizational responses to the possible impacts of risks. Strategies include: tolerance of a risk without taking further action, avoidance of the risk, prevention of a risk event, mitigation or reduction of the impact of a risk event, transfer or sharing of risk.

Question 39

Shelter in place

Answer 39

Situation in which occupants are directed to stay inside the facility because of unsafe conditions outside the building.

Question 40

Span of control

Answer 40

The number of subordinates directly reporting to a given manager. Usually expressed as a ratio of supervisors to individuals. NIMS recommends between 1:3 and 1:7.

Question 41

Staging areas

Answer 41

Location established where resources can be placed while awaiting a tactical assignment.

Question 42

Statement of Work (SOW)

Answer 42

A listing of the specific tasks the supplier is to perform.

Question 43

Statues

Answer 43

Applicable laws and regulations with which the organization must comply and which delegate authority for emergency response.

Question 44

Supporting functions

Answer 44

Needed to continue essential functions.

Question 45

Unity of command

Answer 45

Concept by which each person within an organization reports to one and only one designated person. The purpose is to ensure unity of effort under one responsible commander for every objective.

Question 46

Warm site

Answer 46

A warm site is partially prepared for use (e.g., cabling, lighting, phones and desks are in place) and can be brought online relatively quickly by adding specialized equipment and delivering supplies needed to perform the function. It might also be a flexible space that can be quickly converted to serve the essential function.