Business Continuity

Public Safety
Sectors	Public Safety
Contact	Wilfred Pinfold
Topics	Business Continuity Designing and Implementing a Resilient Smart Public Safety Program Disaster Recovery Emergency Preparedness Emergency Support Functions Floods Law and Order Public Safety and Response Public Safety-Resilience and Regeneration of Communities
Activities Productivity Tools - Commercial During this difficult time of change and disruption, businesses and organizations must be productive and nimble while optimizing cash flow and streamlining operations. Remote Access Tools -Commercial To cope with the current COVID19 disruption, organizations and individuals require flexible mobile and remote work arrangements beyond their traditional workplaces, while ensuring confidential data and systems are protected. Security & Privacy Advisories FBI is cautioning against the ‘Other’ Coronavirus Crisis, Cybersecurity & Privacy risks and scams. There is a lot of currents and anticipated criminal activities at an unprecedented scale as criminals devise means to prey upon the public’s fears. Transit Response Cities and states are acting to slow progress of the COVID-19 pandemic by shuttering all nonessential businesses, closing schools, and urging residents to hunker down at home. As a result, ridership has fallen off for many mass transit systems across the country — light rail, streetcar, buses and ferries — as officials work to keep service running. US States Case Studies & Guidance A collection of US States Case Studies & Guidance

Authors

Business continuity refers to the processes and procedures an organization puts in place to ensure that critical business functions can continue during and after an unexpected disruption, such as a natural disaster, cyber attack, or power outage.

It involves identifying potential risks and vulnerabilities, developing plans to mitigate or respond to those risks, and regularly testing and updating those plans to ensure they are effective. The goal of business continuity is to minimize the impact of a disruption on the organization's operations and customers, and to quickly restore normal business operations. This can include activities like maintaining backup systems and data, implementing disaster recovery procedures, and developing incident management and communication plans.

There are several steps that a community can take to ensure business continuity:

• Conduct a risk assessment: Identify potential risks and vulnerabilities that could disrupt local businesses and develop plans to mitigate or respond to them. This can include natural disasters, cyber attacks, power outages, and other disruptions.
• Develop emergency response plans: Work with local businesses to create emergency response plans that outline steps to take in the event of a disruption. These plans should include contact information for key personnel and emergency services, procedures for shutting down equipment and facilities, and information on how to access backup systems and data.
• Promote communication and collaboration: Encourage local businesses to share information and resources with one another, and to work together to develop plans and strategies for continuity.
• Provide training and education: Offer training and educational resources to local businesses on topics such as emergency management, cyber security, and risk management. This can help them to better prepare for and respond to disruptions.
• Create a Business Continuity Network: Develop a network of businesses, organizations and government agencies to share information and resources, to collaborate on emergency response plans, and to provide support to affected businesses during and after a disruption.
• Establish a Community Emergency Response Team: Develop a community emergency response team (CERT) of volunteers who can assist local businesses and organizations during a disruption.
• Review and update plans regularly: Regularly review and update emergency response plans and procedures to ensure they are current and effective.
• Encourage businesses to have a crisis management and communication plan.

By working together, local businesses, organizations and government agencies can take steps to minimize the impact of disruptions on the community's economy and ensure a faster recovery.