Shut down/Restructure/Resume
Once your agency´s operations have been shut down, resumption may look different. Your agency may need or want to restructure prior to or during resumption. What if it takes an extended period of time to resume business? This is the area where your agency may want to ask "why" questions about your operations. Your Plan should include or consider:
- What employees will be available to resume normal operations after a disaster? What if these employees are also affected by the disaster? What if the employees are deceased, injured, or not available to assist in the resumption of agency business? How can operations be restructured with fewer or temporary employees?
- What if a disaster changes the need for your agency´s business? What if your agency´s services are no longer needed? Your business operations may need to be restructured in the event of a disaster. Could your agency be called upon to provide a different type of service or function in the event of a disaster? Does your agency have plans for who, what, when, where, and how these additional or restructured services can be delivered?
- Can your agency completely shut down business for the necessary period of time after a disaster? If so, your agency will need to plan in advance. How will necessary regulatory, accounting, or administrative operations be taken care of?
- Will utilities, police, fire and other necessary public services be affected or over-burdened by a disaster? What if you cannot depend on these services to be available for extended periods of time? How can you resume operations considering these factors?