PHSKC Business Continuity (BC)Tabletop Exercise

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Rooms 1311 and 1312

8:30 A.M. - 10:30 A.M.

Agenda – Get Ready for Winter

Introduction

Business Continuity (BC) Overview

BC Exercise Objectives and Ground Rules

Winter Weather Scenario

Debrief and Evaluation

Exercise Design Team

Dee Totten, Preparedness BC

Whitney Taylor, Preparedness Consultant

Dennis Worsham, RHO

Byron Byrne, EMS

Jim Henriksen, EH

Vivian Stevenson, CHS

Business Continuity (BC)

Overview

Planning: a Circular Process Business Continuity is also called COOP, COG

Business Continuity (BC) Plan

BC Plan Components:

1. Leadership line of succession (LOS) and Delegation of Authority

2. Mission Critical Services, Functions, Programs (SFPs)

3. Plan Activation / Implementation Steps

4. Decision Making and Prioritization

Business Continuity (BC) Plan

Mission Critical Services, Functions, Programs (SFPs)

Priorities 1 through 4

Prioritization criteria

Consistent with King County guidance

Requires careful assessment and flexibility before and during an event

Business Continuity (BC) Plan

BC Plan Components:

1. Leadership line of succession (LOS) and Delegation of Authority

2. Mission Critical Services, Functions, Programs (SFPs)

3. Plan Activation / Implementation Steps

4. Decision Making and Prioritization

Business Continuity (BC) Plan

Plan Activation

Who can activate the Department’s BC Plan (and who should be notified)

What factors are considered to determine if activation is necessary

How activation occurs (concept of operations)

Business Continuity (BC) Plan

BC Plan Components:

1. Leadership line of succession (LOS) and Delegation of Authority

2. Mission Critical Services, Functions, Programs (SFPs)

3. Plan Activation / Implementation Steps

4. Decision Making and Prioritization

Business Continuity (BC) Plan

BC Plan Components:

5. Alternate Processes / Facility Relocation /

Temporary Suspension of SFPs

6. Recovery and Resumption

7. Logistics Support

8. Plan Maintenance, Training and Exercises

Implementing Business Continuity During an Incident

Implementing BC During an Incident

BC Function will be managed

as an Operations Section

within the PH EOC

BC Role in an Incident

BC Roles:

1. Support Planning Section in collecting impact assessment data (facilities, infrastructure, staff)

2. Assess functionality of mission critical SFPs

BC Role in an Incident

BC Roles:

3. Develop recommendations for LHO / Chief of Staff:

Identify options for reducing services to free up staff for response roles

Propose solutions for maintaining Department functions through tele-work, flex scheduling, alternate facilities

Recommend temporary suspension of functions

Develop a prioritization plan for restoration of services

Questions?

Disasters Happen…

BC Exercise Ground Rules

Facilitated Discussion

Open dialogue - no wrong answers

Everyone is encouraged to contribute

Accept the scenario

Don’t try to solve problems here – identify what works and where we have gaps

We will document outcomes, develop an After Action Report and Improvement Plan

BC Exercise Objectives

1. Discuss ability to implement Department and Division lines of succession (LOS) and delegations of authority.

2. Evaluate the ability to assess incident impacts on Department services, functions and programs.

3. Evaluate decision processes regarding prioritizing, maintaining and suspending PHSKC services within and across divisions.

BC Exercise Objectives

4. Assess protocols for communicating with Department staff and the public regarding BC decisions effecting public health services, functions and programs.

5. Assess how human resource concerns are addressed within Public Health during BC incidents.

Scenario – Winter Weather Situation 1

It’s Monday December 1 Temperature is currently 34 degrees F.

(Is that a snowflake?)

NOTE: This week…

the LHO is out of the country

the CAO and EH Division Manager are both out of State on vacation

Monday, December 1, 10:00 A.M.Weather Forecast

Winter weather is forecasted by NWS over the next 48 hours:

High probability of light snow (up to 2”) mixed with sleet and freezing rain across Western Washington

Frozen precipitation will likely begin Monday late night, end early Tuesday morning

A second front will come through Tuesday night with similar conditions, clear by Wednesday morning

Winds should not be extreme, yet saturated soils may contribute to fallen trees in some areas

BC Plan Activation

Should PHSKC emergency response plans or BC plans be activated at this time?

Scenario – Winter Weather Situation 2 Tuesday 6:00 A.M.

Media are reporting icy roads in many areas of Seattle and the East Side; very few trees down; 4” snow across South King County

Puget Sound Energy reports 10,000 customers without power in KC

Seattle City Light reports 5,000 customers out

All power should be restored by midnight Wednesday

Many school districts across the county are opening late or are closed for the day

Transit service is VERY erratic

Impacts – Information Gathering

How will we determine the status and functionality of PHSKC facilities and supporting infrastructure?

How will we identify the rate of absenteeism across Sections, Divisions, Department?

Scenario – Winter Weather Situation 2a Tuesday 6:00 A.M.

Initial impacts assessments of PH facilities and supporting infrastructure determine that:

Federal Way: 3” snow, power and phone out, tree down in the parking lot, 1 staff there now

Eastgate: 3” snow, power out, 1 staff there now

North and Northshore: 4” snow and ice, 1 staff at each site

All other PHSKC sites: light snow, functional

Scenario – Winter Weather Situation 2a Tuesday 7:00 A.M.

The Area Command Center (PH EOC) is activated at the Chinook Building

Tracks department-wide impacts

Manages incident information regarding impacts to healthcare partners

Coordination point for logistical support

Connects HC partners to local EOCs for support (i.e. assist with clearing hospital driveways)

Making BC Recommendations to Decision Makers

The Acting LHO requests information regarding the status of mission critical services, functions, and programs

What protocols exist to ensure that Leadership positions with appropriate authority are staffed across the Department?

Making BC Recommendations to Decision Makers

How will we identify which services, functions and programs have been impacted by this event?

Prioritization

How will we determine which mission critical services, functions and programs will remain operational today?

Who will establish Department priorities if multiple Divisions require limited resources to keep mission critical services operational?

Communications to Staff and Public

As decisions are made to modify or temporarily suspend Department functions:

How are staff and clients informed of the status of PHSKC services and facilities?

Who is involved in developing and delivering these messages?

Scenario – Winter Weather Situation 3 Tuesday 4:00 P.M.

Similar weather conditions expected for Tuesday night, clearing by Wednesday morning

However…

Puget Sound Energy indicates that two PHSKC sites (Eastgate and Federal Way) will be without power for several days

Human Resources Issues

What Human Resource issues arise with regard to absenteeism and business continuity decisions made Tuesday morning?

What factors must be addressed when sites are inoperable for several days?

Debrief and Evaluation

Debrief and Evaluation

2008 - 2009 BC Work Plan Items:

Jail Health (develop BC plan in conjunction with DAJD)

ODIR / Admin / Finance / HR (develop BC plan)

Finalize Division BC plans (Prevention, CHS, EH, EMS)

Finalize Delegation of Authority for all Divisions

Debrief and Evaluation

Which components of the Department’s BC Plan are strong and well developed?

What are the top priority BC issues we should focus on through 2008 – 09?