Many organizations put off Continuity of Operations planning in the belief that, with everything else that needs to be done, the possibility of a disruption to government or a disaster of scale occurring is more distant then the immediate and pressing needs of day to day governance. The simple fact is, stuff happens, and you never know when it will be. There are significant risks to being unprepared or ill-prepared for a disruption or disaster.
Useful Knowledge may be of some help. We've assisted local municipalities in completing a Continuity of Operations Plan. We've utilized the Bold Planning Solutions Emergency Planning software here in the Denver area. (For those local government agencies in the Denver UTSI, the software can be used at no charge thanks to a grant from the Department of Homeland Security.) We can develop a preliminary questionnaire for each department, conduct departmental interviews in concert with your Emergency Manager, and enter the data for you. Upon completing the process, your community will have key information about City operations all in one place, accessible from anywhere there is a connection to the Internet. The completion of the plan creates a repository of City information that no one person could possibly have personal knowledge, and is immediately accessible by any authorized person. The plan that the software generates is compliant with Department of Homeland Security guidelines. It is evidence of planning for insurance purposes, or in defense of litigation. More to the point, it can be of great use in restoring necessary governmental functions and services on behalf of the citizens in your community, possibly saving lives and property.
Useful Knowledge, LLC and Bold Planning Solutions have a collegial relationship, but we have no formal business association at this time. If you'd like to know more about BPS, here's a link to their website www.boldplanning.com You're welcome to contact us at alan@useful-knowledge.com if you have any questions we can answer for you.
