IS-546 Continuity of Operations (COOP) Awareness Course

Lesson 4: Course Summary and Posttest

Summary and Posttest Overview

This lesson provides a brief summary of the Continuity of Operations Awareness course contents.

COOP: A Federal Initiative

Continuity of Operations (COOP) is a Federal initiative, required by Presidential Directive, to ensure that Executive Branch departments and agencies are able to continue to perform their essential functions under a broad range of circumstances.

COOP planning is a good business practice. It is part of the fundamental mission of governments as responsible and reliable public institutions.

DHS's Role in COOP

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is responsible for ensuring that all Federal Executive Branch departments and agencies develop COOP capabilities. DHS has delegated its responsibility as lead agent to FEMA.

FEMA is responsible for:

Issuing COOP guidance.
Promoting understanding of and compliance with COOP requirements in Federal Preparedness Circular 65. FEMA's Office of National Security Coordination (ONSC) is DHS's implementing organization for its COOP lead agent responsibilities.

COOP Planning Objectives

COOP planning objectives include:

Ensuring continued performance of essential functions.
Reducing loss of life and minimizing damage.
Ensuring succession to office of key leaders.
Reducing or mitigating disruptions to operations.
Protecting essential assets.
Achieving a timely recovery and reconstitution.
Maintaining a test, training, and exercise program for program validation.

Occupant Emergency Plans (OEPs) also reduce loss of life but are not part of COOP.

COOP Planning Considerations

There are several critical planning considerations for any COOP plan. COOP plans must:

Be capable of implementation anytime, with and without warning, during duty and nonduty hours.
Provide full operational capability for essential functions not later than 12 hours after activation.
Be capable of sustaining operations for up to 30 days.
Include regularly scheduled TT&E.

Elements of a Viable COOP

There are nine elements of a viable COOP:

Essential functions
Delegations of authority
Alternate facilities
Interoperable communications
Vital records and databases
Human capital management
Tests, training, and exercises
Devolution
Reconstitution

All elements are needed to provide a complete and effective COOP capability.

COOP Impacts on the Organization

The severity of the impacts from a COOP situation will depend on the nature and severity of the emergency and could range from a little to a lot.

A comprehensive COOP capability will minimize those impacts.

COOP Impacts on You and Your Family

A COOP situation also will affect you and your family. A comprehensive COOP plan that includes a family support plan will minimize these impacts.

There are several key components of a COOP family support plan, including:

Personnel accountability procedures.
An information dissemination plan.
Assistance in developing family emergency plans.
Information about services at or near the alternate site.

Developing a Family Emergency Plan

Developing a family emergency plan is important for any emergency, not just COOP. As a minimum, a family emergency plan should include:

Contact and communications information.
An immediate emergency checklist that includes medical, financial, and legal information and other important documents.
Supplies, including medications, for at least 72 hours.