Availability Guide for Problem Management

Planning for Disasters
Availability Guide for Problem Management–125509
8-6
Step 2—Developing the Plan
4. When is a situation a disaster; that is, when should the disaster plan be activated?
For example, if there is a fire near a site, when should the disaster plan be
activated—when the fire is next door, in the building, or in the computer room?
5. Who has the authority to declare a disaster?
6. Is insurance available? Should your company purchase insurance for loss of
equipment or business?
7. What are the recovery alternatives, the costs associated with each alternative, and the
best alternative for your needs? Recovery alternatives usually include the use of a
backup site. For a description of backup site options, refer to “Backup Sites” later in
this section.
By answering these questions, the planning team will be prepared for the second step in
disaster recovery planning—developing the action plan.
Step 2—Developing the Plan
A disaster recovery plan that is flexible and comprehensive allows the staff to respond to
a variety of situations. A plan that specifies what steps should be taken, and by whom,
helps the staff recover promptly from a disaster. Plans are most effective when they
include the following information:
•
The plan requirements, including a list of the items that need protection and their
locations.
•
Evacuation plans, including procedures for accounting for all personnel and for
contacting rescue authorities. The first priority in a recovery plan should be
protecting your employees and preventing injury and loss of life.
•
The name and phone numbers of the person who has ultimate decision-making
authority for both determining when the plan must be activated and for
implementing the plan.
•
Damage assessment procedures. Damage assessment provides the information that
you or others must have in order to make many important decisions. It is a good idea
to form and train a damage assessment team so there will always be someone who
can quickly determine the extent of the damage and provide the information you
need to recover from the disaster. The team can determine if people are injured, if
the facility is safe for entry, if the equipment is salvageable, and if data has been lost
or corrupted. Figure 8-2 illustrates the responsibilities of the damage assessment
team.
•
Command-post information and procedures. Communication is vital to successful
recovery. A command post serves as the focal point of disaster recovery. The
command post is responsible for coordinating all activities and receiving and
disseminating information internally and externally.
•
The plan should indicate where the command post will be located, who will operate
the command post (usually several people), what information should be directed to
the command post, and what information the command post should provide to
employees, customers, and vendors. Figure 8-3 illustrates the command post’s
responsibilities.