Examples of Executive Summary/Promulgation Statement/General

Example 1

The [Laboratory Name] plays an essential role in public health and safety. Laboratories performing testing of

public health significance generate critical data used to make informed decisions regarding the

implementation of preventative measures and development of effective policies that protect the public from

unforeseen conditions, hazards and threats. Data provided by public health laboratories include those related

to screening newborn infants, detecting infectious outbreaks, responding to terrorism threats and other

emergencies, and monitoring significant public health trends. While laboratories in the private sector may also

provide analytical services in some of these areas, the core activities of public health laboratories are uniquely

focused on population health rather than individual health. This focus requires public health laboratories to

have special analytical expertise, instrumentation, methods and response capability not available in the

private sector. Consequently, it is imperative that the [Laboratory Name] be able to continue their core

essential functions when events occur that disrupt their normal operation. To ensure continuation of these

essential functions, the [Laboratory Name] must have in place an effective COOP.

The laboratory COOP is a comprehensive, pre-event plan that describes the procedures, policies and

arrangements necessary for the laboratory to respond quickly and effectively to a wide variety of possible

disruptions or threats. It describes what is in place, what the laboratory does to respond, and what is required

to maintain essential functions.

Example 2

The [Laboratory’s Name]’s mission is to [enter mission statement]. To accomplish this mission, [Laboratory

Name] must ensure its operations are performed efficiently with minimal disruption, especially during an

emergency. This document provides planning and program guidance for implementing the [Laboratory Name]

Continuity of Operations Plan and programs to ensure the organization is capable of conducting its essential

functions under all threats and conditions.

Within the plan there are [Laboratory Name] personnel who could be relocated under this plan are collectively

known as the [Insert name of group, such as Emergency Relocation Group]. Upon plan activation, these

members could deploy to [insert continuity facility name]. Upon arrival, continuity personnel must establish an

operational capability and perform essential functions within 12 hours from the time of the activation of the

Continuity Plan, for up to a 30-day period or until normal operations can be resumed.

This plan has been developed in accordance with guidance in Executive Order (EO) 12656, Assignment of

Emergency Preparedness Responsibilities; National Security Presidential Directive – 51/Homeland Security

Presidential Directive – 20, National Continuity Policy; Homeland Security Council, National Continuity Policy

Implementation Plan; Federal Continuity Directive (FCD) 1, Federal Executive Branch National Continuity

Program and Requirements, February 2008; [Laboratory Name] Management Directive [enter Directive number

and title]; and other related Directives and guidance.

Example 3

The [Laboratory’s Name] Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) provides instruction and guidance to

[Laboratory’s Name] employees, enabling essential functions to continue when there is a catastrophic

emergency that severely impacts the laboratory’s ability to operate as usual.

Laboratory department heads and elected officials have been instrumental in the COOP preparation. They have

developed actions and processes to ensure all public services legal in requirement, mandated by act or

regulation, and/or affecting safety and health will continue under the worst of environmental, economic and

technological conditions.

The [Laboratory’s Name] Continuity of Operations Plan represents our commitment to serve our customers in

the worst and best of times. The [Laboratory’s Name] Director asks each [Laboratory’s Name] employee to

familiarize themselves with actions that must be taken to continue laboratory operations during a disaster, and

to continue to provide a full spectrum of public services to all our customers.

Example 4

This Continuity of Operations (COOP) Plan provides instruction and guidance for [Laboratory’s Name] in the

execution of [Laboratory’s Name] Essential Functions during continuity events. It provides specific information

for continuation [Laboratory’s Name] essential functions relative to staffing, alternate site relocation and

configuration, continuity operations, and reconstitution.

Example 5

Awareness of possible consequences of terrorist incidents and emergencies (natural and human-induced) has

provoked preparations of laboratory Continuity of Operations (COOP) Plans. Laboratories must develop plans to

continue their mission-critical processes across a broad spectrum of emergencies. The [Laboratory’s Name]

must formulate a COOP Plan to ensure continuity of its essential functions.

This [Laboratory’s Name] COOP Plan accords with current Emergency Management Accreditation Program

(EMAP) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) guidance for COOP planning, and with operational

guidelines outlined in the National Incident Management System (NIMS).

This COOP Plan provides guidance to the [Laboratory’s Name] personnel for maintaining [Laboratory’s Name]

capability to fulfill all its assigned essential functions during all contingencies—and in so doing provides for

employees’ safety and well-being if any [Laboratory’s Name] facilities are threatened or inaccessible. Specific

objectives of this COOP Plan include the following:

•

Ensure continuous performance of essential functions.

•

Protect essential facilities, equipment, vital records, and other assets.

•

Reduce or mitigate disruptions to operations.

•

Reduce loss of life and minimize damage and losses.

•

Achieve a timely and orderly recovery from an emergency, and resume full service to [Laboratory’s

Name].

Recommended changes to this plan should be sent to the Department Name COOP Coordinator, Name, at Street

Address, City, State, Zip Code.

Department Head Date

Example 6

This Continuity of Operations Plan (Plan) is authorized under the authority of [Laboratory’s Name] and is one of

the preparedness and operations plans (e.g., IT disaster recovery, shelter-in-place, critical incident, evacuation

plans) used to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from a disaster.

This Plan encompasses [Laboratory’s Name] and all personnel and operations of those laboratory offices. It

presents a management framework to establish operational procedures to sustain each essential functions if

normal operations performed at [Laboratory’s Name] or other [Laboratory’s Name] related buildings are not

feasible. It also guides the recovery and reconstitution of [Laboratory’s Name]’s operations to pre-event status,

focuses on actions that must be initiated after an incident to ensure continued operations of essential functions,

and provides for sustained essential functions operations, which could be 30 days or more. The plan recognizes

that full recovery and reconstitution of the laboratory’s activities may take weeks or months.

This job aid is a component of the free, on-demand CDC training course “Laboratory Continuity of Operations.”

Find the course at https://www.cdc.gov/labtraining.