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Individual Assignment (Option #2)
Continuity of Operations (COOP) Plan

Description

You are tasked with creating portions of a continuity of operations (COOP) plan to cover
contingencies for a complex disaster scenario affecting your organization, community,
jurisdiction, or host country. Use any emergency preparedness plan as the basis for
your design or evaluation of the continuity of operations plan.

Your tasks:

• Write portions of a full COOP plan that addresses a crisis/disaster scenario that
develops over time and changes phases from threat to actualization.

• Give background information concerning the source of the threat (for natural
hazards include the source, intensity, direction, speed, etc.; and for human
induced threats describe the perpetrators or the nature of the accident with all the
relevant information) (sources may include a hazard mitigation plan and/or
THIRA [Threats and Hazards Identification and Risk Assessment]).

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• List the titles and brief explanation of the parties involved in response activities
and the stakeholders.

• Delineate the roles, responsibilities, and resources required for the creation and
implementation of an effective plan.

• You should also draw upon the laws, bylaws, regulations, and procedures that
underlie the concept of the event and response/planning operations.

• Address all of the issues that require effective response involving life safety and
short-term recovery. This requires the knowledge of risks, hazards, emergency
management, and homeland security doctrines; plus plan and exercise
development doctrine, including project/program management.

In the initial stages of learning about and designing continuity of operations plans, your
most valuable resources will be found on-line or in published textbooks. Later in the
program you will learn how to generate your own templates for designing or evaluating
continuity plans to do some of these same functions.

In this project, you are a new member of a state or local emergency management
agency that designs, creates, and offers services to design continuity of operations
plans. Your project is to actually design portions of the plan for your area of
responsibility.

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FEMA’s THIRA guide, CPG-201 (2

nd
Ed., Aug. 2013), can be found at https://www.fema.gov/threat-and-hazard-

identification-and-risk-assessment

https://www.fema.gov/threat-and-hazard-identification-and-risk-assessment

https://www.fema.gov/threat-and-hazard-identification-and-risk-assessment

https://www.fema.gov/threat-and-hazard-identification-and-risk-assessment

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Possible Scenarios (choose one, or fabricate and describe your own)

1. Sixty percent of your workforce is home, sick, having been stricken by a
pandemic flu event.

2. Sixty percent of your city/county (850,000 people) is without power for 6 days,
caused by a recent episode of severe weather.

3. Your local government management and information technology system
(networks, computer systems) are unavailable due to a computer virus. This virus
could be caused by a cybersecurity attack on your systems.

Deliverables

1. Before you begin performing some tasks let’s locate some published resources to
assist your task:

a. Conduct a literature search and review. You are looking for information on
continuity of operations (COOP) planning.

b. Questions to ask while investigating resources:
i. Are there federal legal requirements mandating continuity of operations

plans?
ii. Are there state and local legal requirements mandating continuity of

operations plans?
iii. Do grant programs mandate a certain level of continuity of operations plans?

c. Find on-line public resources.
i. http://mema.maryland.gov/Pages/default.aspx (Do a search on COOP)
ii. http://www.dtic.mil/ (Do a search on Continuity of

Operations)http://www.fema.gov/
iii. http://www.vaemergency.gov/em/training
iv. http://www.vaemergency.gov/em/training/hseep (Homeland Security Exercise

& Evaluation Program) (Also see Federal HSEEP information at
https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/32326)

v. https://hseep.dhs.gov/pages/1001_HSEEP7.aspx
vi. Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Continuity Assistance

Tool (CAT) (http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/86286)
(This is probably your most valuable resource)

vii. Others (Find other resources) (Example: National Security Presidential
Directive-51/Homeland Security Presidential Directive-20 (NSPD-51/HSPD-
20) National Continuity Policy

d. Find private sector resources and/or consultants.
i. http://www.wittobriens.com/go/doc/2000/1580499/
ii. http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/go/services/business-continuity-planning
iii. http://homelandsecurity.gpstrategies.com/ (See Planning: COOP/COG on the

left side)

http://mema.maryland.gov/Pages/default.aspx

http://www.dtic.mil/

http://www.fema.gov/

http://www.vaemergency.gov/em/training

http://www.vaemergency.gov/em/training/hseep

http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/32326)

http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/32326)

https://hseep.dhs.gov/pages/1001_HSEEP7.aspx

http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/86286

http://www.wittobriens.com/go/doc/2000/1580499/

http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/go/services/business-continuity-planning

http://homelandsecurity.gpstrategies.com/

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iv. Others (Find other resources)

2. Next, let’s review the different types of plans and plan components.
a. Understand the differences between continuity of operations (COOP) and

continuity of government (COG) plans and principles.
b. Understand the differences between operational plans, administrative plans,

and critical operating systems and procedures.

Deliverable 1:

Go to FEMA-EMI website and take the following two courses, then take the Final
Exam for each, and upload a copy of the certificate of completion to the dropbox
provided under the Individual Assignment folder. If you have previously completed
any of these courses, there is no need to retake them—just submit proof of
completion.

• IS-1300: Introduction to Continuity of Operations
https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-1300
(Approximate duration: 1 hour)

• IS-921.a: Implementing Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience
https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-921.a
(Approximate duration: 3 hours)

3. Now that you are comfortable with some of the basics and theory behind continuity
planning processes and plans, it is time to identify stakeholders to the planning
processes. Possible stakeholders include but are not limited to:

a. Public safety officials
i. First responders; career and volunteer
ii. Command staff
iii. Administrative staff
iv. Fire/EMS/Rescue
v. Law enforcement
vi. 911 call takers and dispatchers
vii. Mutual aid partners
viii. Emergency management/homeland security personnel
ix. Others?

b. Local elected officials and staff
c. Other local government operating agencies
d. Citizens-at-large
e. Community leaders
f. Business community professionals

https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-1300

https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-921.a

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g. Hospitals/health care
h. Equipment vendors
i. Others?

4. Know the purposes and objectives of continuity of operations plans and programs:

a. Prepare for known threats, hazards, and to reduce vulnerabilities

b. Test capabilities for redundancy and resilience
i. Equipment
ii. Systems
iii. Facilities
iv. Plans
v. Personnel

5. Understand the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Continuity
Assistance Tool (CAT) (found at www.fema.gov/media-
library/assets/documents/86286):

6. Know the various functions and processes to be considered/protected/covered in a
continuity plan:

a. Warning and alert notification systems and processes; including message
content.

b. Communications
i. Crisis communications with publics and stakeholders
ii. Routine
iii. Interagency, intra-agency, and interoperability considerations
iv. Damage Assessment
v. Public Assistance
vi. Individual Assistance
vii. All Emergency Support Functions (ESF’s)
viii. Continuity of government and operations
ix. Others?

Deliverable 2:

Additionally, depending on the type of the scenario chosen, you may wish to take
one or more of the relevant FEMA-EMI Independent courses from the list below to
familiarize yourself with the context of the disaster (Note: FEMA-EMI Independent
Study courses are continually being updated or retired—one or more of these
courses may no longer be available when you try to access it. The full course list
may be accessed at: https://training.fema.gov/is/crslist.aspx?all=true.
.

http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/86286

http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/86286

http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/86286

https://training.fema.gov/is/crslist.aspx?all=true

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IS-3: Radiological Emergency Management
IS-5.a: Introduction to Hazardous Materials
IS-301: Radiological Emergency Response
IS-302: Modular Emergency Radiological Response Transportation Training
IS-15.b: Special Events Contingency Planning, Training for Public Safety Agencies
IS-319: Tornado Mitigation Basics for Mitigation Staff
IS-320: Wildfire Mitigation Basics for Mitigation Staff

Deliverable 3:

1. Outline the steps of developing a continuity of operations plan.

2. Design portions of a sample continuity of operations plan addressing your
chosen or fabricated scenario.

The design criteria include:

1. Were objectives of the plan clear and measurable?
2. Was the event adequately predicted requiring the plan

execution/implementation? (Look at the planning and design process leading up
to the event.)

3. Was the scenario predicted, realistic?
4. Did the plan cover documented vulnerabilities or threats? Did it cover target

capabilities?
5. Did the plan adequately ensure continuity of enough capabilities and

investments?
6. Were the proper stakeholders involved in the planning process?
7. Were there any significant gaps in the planning or process?
8. Was there an exercise to test the plan?
9. When the plan was enacted, was an immediate Hot Wash and an After Action

Review conducted; were outcomes measurable; were corrective actions taken?
10. Did the plan coordinate and align to support issues like planning, mitigation,

response, and recovery?
11. Other analysis/evaluation issues and components?

Make sure to include properly formatted references and in-text citations to support
your writing. Both the quality and number of references will affect your grade on this
assignment.

Submit your products (Two separate MS Word documents, 12-pt Times New Roman
font, 1” margins, double-spaced) with the following naming convention:

1. COOP Outline: Lastname_Firstname_LD5-2_COOP-Steps
2. COOP Plan: Lastname_Firstname_LD5-3_COOP-Plan

While there is no specific page limit for the COOP Outline and your sample portion of a
COOP Plan, these are not intended to be lengthy papers. The COOP Outline might

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require 1-2 pages, while the segment of a sample COOP Plan might require 3-5 pages
as a projected estimate. You may follow any model or template that you find from the

FEMA-EMI courses or other sources, but please don’t simply copy-and-paste content.
.
Deadline

The completed assignment, including certificates of completion for FEMA-EMI IS
courses, the outline of steps for developing a COOP plan, and the section of a sample
COOP plan, is due in accordance with the due date in the syllabus.

There are separate dropboxes under the Individual Assignment folder for submitting
both parts of the completed paper, and for submitting copies of certificates of
completion for the FEMA-EMI IS courses.

Frequently Asked Questions/Helpful Hints

If you have any questions about the assignment or the grading criteria, please post your
question in the Q&A forum for this assignment, unless it is a personal question. Other
students may have similar questions. All students should check regularly for any Q&A. If
there is a question of significant importance, I will also put something in the News.

Grading Rubric

See separate Grading Rubric document, which is the same for Options 1 & 2. This
assignment is worth 15% of your final overall grade.

Statement Attesting to Original Work

You must also submit the following statement with your personal attestation on a
separate page at the end of the document; this is included in the template:

“This paper, examination, report, or the section thereof for which I have indicated
responsibility, is my own work. Any assistance I received in its preparation is
acknowledged within the report or examination, in accordance with academic
practice. For any data, ideas, words, diagrams, pictures, or other information
from any source, quoted or not, I have cited the sources fully and completely in
the text, in endnotes, or in footnotes and bibliographical entries, as required.
Furthermore, I certify that the material was prepared by me specifically for this
class and has not been submitted, in whole or significant part, to any other class
in this university or elsewhere, or used for any purpose other than satisfying the
requirements of this class, except that I am allowed to submit this material to a
professional publication, peer reviewed journal, or professional conference. In
adding my name following the word ‘Signature’, I intend that this certification will
have the same authority and authenticity as a document executed with my hand-
written signature.”

Signature Date

Thesis & Organization

Goals:

·

Articulate your thesis, argument, main idea, and/or purpose clearly.

· Organize your document or presentation in a manner that promotes understanding.

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· Which organization? In this organization, it has been confirmed that approximately 60 percent of the workforce is home as a result of the flu outbreak. (p2)

· I’m already lost—is this part of a case study where your professor already knows all the details about this organization? What activities? It is clear that the activities within this area have gone down, and productivity is equally going down

· Since I’m not understanding the details about your company or the case, the introduction is confusing. Can you give more details?

· Writing introductions (UNC CH):

http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/introductions/

· The introduction is a roadmap to the rest of your paper—it tells the reader what to expect. You want to cover the scope of the paper and give your reader the highlights of what the paper will cover (this is often why headings are used). Your introduction should make your readers want to read your paper by capturing their interest. The introduction can be more than one paragraph, but it needs to encapsulate what your paper is about. Often it’s written at the end of the writing process so you can see what you’ve written and make sure it’s all included in the intro.

UMUC Essay Introductions:

http://www.umuc.edu/current-students/learning-resources/writing-center/writing-resources/parts-of-an-essay/introductions.cfm

Grammar & Mechanics

Goals:

· Use sentence structure appropriate for your task, message, and audience.

· Follow conventions of Standard Written English.

· “flu infection”: Therefore, there is a need for a proper way to control the flue infection that will ensure there is continued service (p2)

· Spell out an acronym the first time you use it: This compilation outlines the COOP plan that can be used to ensure there is continued service delivery within the organization despite the flue infection

· Complete this sentence: Obviously, for the organization’s activities to continue amidst the flu outbreak, there is a need for the (p3)

· Can you clarify this sentence? I’m not understanding the meaning: Also, there are some roles that as ensuring that the workforce members are kept properly cured lies in the health care system in which the organization is in lyson

· Moreover, the employees will need proper uniforms as well as masks to keep themselves from transmitting the flu to the remaining 40% of the team members

· “laws as they pertain…”: The COOP keeps keen attention on the available constitutional laws as it pertains to epidemics in organizations.

· Incidence is protected? Or reduced? The organization is prepared to ensure that the incidence of the flue is protected shortly. (p4)

· Define “lousy stage”: The organization is in its lousy stage, in which 60% of the employees are at their homes following a flu infection.

· Define “activities”: For this reason, we need to get activities going on within this organization.

· If “Community of Operations Plan” is a proper noun, capitalize each word: This has prompted the need for a Continuity of operations plan.

· Capitalization

· Grammarly:

https://www.grammarly.com/blog/capitalization-rules/

· “include but are not limited to”: The possible threats that the organization is currently facing since the onset of the flu infection include but not limited to the possibility of running insolvent as a result of expenses, closure of the organization, and loss of employees. (p5)

· “critical turning point”: This is a critical turn point, and it will be tough for us to keep with that.

· The basic resources needed for the recovery of the operations include nurses to properly offer health services within the organizations and the proper working uniforms that will ensure that there will be no transmission of the flu to their employees within the organization upon the continuation of activities.

· This is a comma splice—separate these two clauses with a semicolon: The most important of the resources that we need is finance, it is clear that money is the only thing that can keep the organization moving on and make it possible to kick out flu amongst us. How can money kick out the flu?

· Comma splice:

https://www.grammarly.com/blog/comma-splice/

· Semicolons (Grammar Book):

https://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/semicolons.asp

· I don’t understand this sentence—simplify it please: Upon a meeting that led to the development of this COOP plan, it was decided that the employees will be required at the organizational premises as from next week in which they will be tested to ascertain the levels of their conditions.  (p6)

“upon being offered”: After their level of the employees’ conditions is ascertained, those who are not in a critical condition will be required to resume work upon been offered the proper uniforms and medication procedures to ensure they fully recover as well as not transmit the flu to the other employees.