In this region of the Southeast, hurricanes are a constant threat. "BE PREPARED" is a great motto to adopt when it comes to business continuity and disaster preparedness. Document your plans now; don't wait until the last minute.
1. Make comprehensive, detailed plans.
- Be certain to identify responsibilities and the employees who will perform specific tasks when your company faces the threat of a hurricane.
- Develop a written chain of command and a communication plan that is available in various formats for easy access.
- Be certain to address wireless, wire line and Internet media, and ensure you have someone outside the impacted area who can track and communicate for the company in case a disaster occurs.
- When addressing the integrity of your corporate data, work with an expert team of solution providers who can help you identify the most appropriate steps to ensure your business can resume operations if a disaster occurs. (Contact a SCANA Communications Specialist via e-mail or call 1-800-679-5463 today to begin developing a detailed disaster recovery plan)
2. Educate employees on the plan.
It is critical that disaster recovery and business continuity plans are understood and readily available to all internal entities who may need access to them in an emergency. In the interest of corporate security, detailed plans should be treated as confidential internal company information.
3. Monitor the situation.
In addition to local news and weather reports, the National Weather Service Tropical Prediction Center is a reliable source for hurricane tracking. This site provides tropical storm forecasts and advisories, as well as links to expected storm paths and live radar maps.
4. Set an interval to evaluate if or when the hurricane plan should be implemented.
- Determine ahead of time how far in advance you should begin implementing the disaster recovery plan. The interval will likely vary depending on how much preparation you must do to implement your company's plan. As a storm approaches, it is critical to re-evaluate if the next step of your plan should be implemented.
- Deploy the designated emergency response team to your business recovery site or near your backup data center at least one full day before the storm arrives. Waiting too long to deploy the team can lead to members being cut-off from your remote location due to the weather or evacuation traffic.
5. Rehearse your worst-case hurricane scenario.
To ensure you are prepared for a potential disaster, practice the disaster plan ahead of time. During this exercise, assume that the absolute worst-case scenario: A complete and utter catastrophe. Then rehearse how you will restore service in a systematic way. This should include completely implementing your backup solution from start to finish.
6. If a disaster does occur, remember to keep your customer base informed.
During a disaster, share your challenges with your customers. It is a good idea to post regular updates on both the storm and your network operations status in a commonly checked customer area. (Let your customers know in advance what and where this area is!) This will serve to assure customers that you are doing everything possible to protect their interests and that you are working toward 100 percent service restoration.
