Question 1

Think of a significant emergency or disaster situation that could occur where you live or work. Consider the types of response tasks or activities that may be needed. Prepare a post of at least 200 words that explains in your own words how one of the following supports implementation of emergency operations plans and coordinated emergency response:

• Continuity of operations (COOP) plan

• Exercise

• Emergency operations center (EOC)

• Incident Command System (ICS)

• Standard operating procedures (SOPs)

• Training

Question 2

Your immediate supervisor wants you to serve as the continuity coordinator for your agency, organization, or company.

However, you have learned that the organization does not have a continuity of operations (COOP) plan or business continuity plan (BCP), and senior management does not know much about what continuity planning is or does. Prepare a paper that addresses all of the following:

I. Developing executive level support. How will you explain the need for a COOP (or BCP if private sector) and persuade senior leadership to support the effort?

II. Planning team. What positions or parts of the organization will you want to be on the planning team?

III. Gathering information. Your supervisor wants the organization to use a continuity planning template such as the one Fairfax County (VA) provided to its departments. Outline the process you will recommend for gathering information from all relevant parts of the organization to complete such a template.

IV. Rolling out the COOP/BCP. How will you make sure personnel know how and when to use the plan? Outline the training and exercise strategy.

Question 3

Consider a resource (could be personnel expertise, equipment, supplies, or information) that would be needed to support one of the core capabilities in the National Response Goal. In your own words, explain options or measures you would use to determine the level of need for the resource or capability and to help make sure there is enough of the resource/capability when it is needed.

1. Think about and note how you would identify and estimate the need for the resource/capability as part of the emergency planning process.

2. Identify means of addressing a shortfall in the resource (remember: there is never enough money).

Question 4

The phrase "that which is not measured is not achieved" is sometimes used in discussions of program and project evaluation and improvement (as well as in education). Write an explanation (of at least several paragraphs) in your own words of the relevance of this phrase to evaluating and improving emergency management programs and practices and preparedness.