In developing an effective disaster recovery program, complete the following: Identify and document a Crisis/Incident Management Team (CMT/IMT) and a Disaster Recovery Team (DRT) for the facility.

Develop detailed emergency response procedures to include:

1. A nearby Emergency Operations Center location, suitably stocked with communications equipment and recovery materials;

2. Actions required to restore normal operations to pre-incident levels within the shortest time possible;

3. Maintain principles of security (personnel, physical, and information); and

4. Implement actions for salvage, loss containment, and restoration. Test, exercise, and maintain the plan.

The Crisis/Incident Management Team is responsible for managing the incident. The Crisis Management Team is normally, but not necessarily, comprised of senior managers from the company.

The CMT is responsible for:

• Deciding whether a disaster is to be declared;

• Adapting the plan to account for prevailing circumstances;

• Prioritizing the recovery of business functions so as to minimize the impact;

• Initiating, controlling, and coordinating the local recovery operations;

• Reviewing critical milestones during the recovery process.

The Disaster Recovery Team is given responsibility for implementing the plan at the site level.

Coordinators and facilities personnel should do the following:

• Ensure that fire protection sprinkler systems (control valves, pumps, etc.) are fully functional and in good working order;

• Verify that control valves remain open until authorized to be closed by a responsible incident officer;

• Verify that all suppression systems are functional and have not been compromised;

• Report any system malfunctions to DRT plan coordinator.

Hazardous Material Coordinator and Personnel should ensure all hazardous materials and flammable liquids are safely secured and do not pose any threats to facility. They should also ensure all safety combustion guards on critical operations are functional and have operated as designed. They should be responsible for reporting any safety malfunctions of operation processes to the DRT plan coordinator immediately.

A facilities coordinator should retrieve building as-built plans and documentation to assist emergency personnel with disaster mitigation, and coordinate preplanned hot, warm, or cold disaster recovery sites to maintain operation of facility as needed.

Each facility is susceptible to common threats and risks that could impact the production or service abilities of that facility. Identify those risks the facility is most susceptible to and verify that the actions/responsibilities that can mitigate the losses associated with that risk have been reviewed and can be implemented:

• Fire and explosion risks (including arson);

• Employee evacuation plan is in place;

• Emergency Response Team is active and on call;

• Communication equipment, such as radios, alarm transmission equipment, cell-phones are fully functional;

• Sprinkler system protection is not impaired;

• Firewalls are not compromised.

Establishing an effective disaster recovery plan can be complex and may require tremendous effort to implement, depending on the nature and size of the facility. It is an ongoing process that must always be kept up-to-date as operations, processes, equipment, and people change. FSM