CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS PLANNING

1. CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS PLANNING CT Department of Public Health Jill Kentfield, COOP Coordinator September 25, 2008

2. Importance of COOP Planning • Activated during any kind of emergency/disaster that affects staffing levels • State/local governments, public health, health care providers are expected to develop COOPs • Depending on the outside entities, help may not be available for 48 hours to many weeks • Determine how you will keep your critical functions going when you are lacking staff

3. The COOP Plan • Should be readily available • Updated frequently • Written using common terminology and clear text (See NIMS/ICS structure) • Designate person in charge who can access the plan and implement the protocols at a moments notice • Train back-up personnel to assume roles

4. National Incident Management System (NIMS) • NIMS was created in response to the attacks on September 11. • Improve the coordination of Federal, State, Local and private industry responses to incidents • Has become the standard for emergency management across the country. • Requires the use of the Incident Command System (ICS) for all responses. • Requires all levels of Government to adopt the ICS.

5. NIMS 700 • Link to this course can be found on https://ct.train.org/ • The course: • Introduces NIMS • Takes approximately three hours to complete • Explains the purpose, principles, key components and benefits of NIMS. • Provides you with "Planning Activity" screens giving you an opportunity to complete some planning tasks during this course. • Describes the chain of command in emergency response. • Describes communication role(s) in emergency response.

6. Incident Command System • The Incident Command System (ICS) is a standardized, on-scene, all-hazard incident management concept used in the United States. • A management protocol originally designed for emergency management agencies such as police and fire. • ICS provides a common framework which allows people to work together effectively. Even if these people do not routinely work together. • Is flexible and can grow or shrink to meet individual needs.

7. ICS • Link to this course can be found onhttps://ct.train.org/ • ICS 100 introduces the Incident Command System (ICS) • Provides the foundation for higher level ICS training • Describes the history, features and principles, and organizational structure of the Incident Command System. • Explains the relationship between ICS and the National Incident Management System (NIMS) • ICS 200 focuses on ICS features describing in detail ICS features. • Describe the chain of command in emergency response. • Apply creative problem solving and flexible thinking to unusual challenges within an individuals functional responsibility and evaluate effectiveness of all actions taken.

8. Connecticut’s Goals • Integrated and coordinated response of federal, state, regional, and local agencies • Protection of lives and properties • Continued operations and services as normally and effectively as possible in the event of a public health emergency

9. State Preparation December 2005 • Governor Rell established interagency task force February 2006 • Pandemic Summit in Hartford October 2006 – February 2007 • State Agency participation in COOP training • State Agency COOP Plans drilled July 2008 • Creation of CT’s Pandemic Flu Operations Plan

10. CT Influenza Interagency Task Force Meets monthly Communicate strategies Team approach Interoperability Coordination of policies

11. State Pandemic Influenza Operations Plan Department of Agriculture Department of Commerce Department of Defense Department of Education Department of Health and Human Services Department of Homeland Security Department of Interior Department of Labor Department of State Department of Transportation Department of Treasury Department of Veterans Affairs Homeland Security Council Office of Personnel Management

12. Connecticut’s Emergency Operations Plan Public Health - Part of Larger Plan

13. COOP - Part of Everyone’s Plan

14. Planning Considerations • Change in demand • Impact on customers and suppliers • Critical management functions • Protocols to continue critical operations • Legal requirements

15. Staffing Considerations • Identify essential employees • Inform employees of your plan • Ensure employees are trained • Determine feasibility of work at home • Plan for high employee absenteeism • Determine if PPE is needed

16. DPH COOP Planning Efforts • DPH will function with lower staffing levels • May not be available to respond to all requests for assistance • DPH plan relies on the public health and health care community to maintain their critical functions • Communication is key

17. Components of DPH COOP Plan • Planning Assumptions • Agency Functions by Priority • COOP Incident Management Team • Continuity Strategies, Dependencies, Triggers and Supporting Elements • Agency Functions by Priority and Strategy

18. Functions by Priority • Uninterruptible Functions • Critical Functions • Ongoing Functions • Periodic Functions • Occasional Functions

19. DPH Uninterruptible Functions Administration: Purchasing Shipping/Receiving/Mail Svcs Payroll/ Health insurance/ time and labor Scheduling/deploying staff Communications: Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication Media Relations 509-8000 main line Maintain HAN/WANS and MEDSAT Government Relations: Governor/Legislator requests

20. DPH Uninterruptible Functions Health Care Systems: Licensed health care institutions Licensure case prosecution Initial Licensing; Licensure Renewal CT Nurse Aide Registry Oversee EMS Providers Operations: Coordinate Preparedness/Emergency Response Planning: Maintain Vital Records

21. DPH Uninterruptible Functions Laboratory: LIMS Maintain 24/7/365 QA Incident Investigations Influenza Testing Accreditations/Certifications Rabies Testing Outbreak Investigations Testing for emerging agents Maintain evidence/chain of custody Maintain awareness with Hosp. Labs, ER's, etc Screen specimens for the presence of lead. Newborn Screening for 42 disorders Test for lead in paint, food, medicines, etc

22. DPH Uninterruptible Functions Regulatory Services: Community Provider Investigations WEAR Team/systems surveys Mutual aid among public water systems Assessment & coordination of emergency declaration Well Siting Acute Quantity/Quality Emergency Investigations/Security Foodborne outbreak control & coordination; Foodborne Alert Investigation Respond to worker and safety questions Toxicology & Site Assessment

23. DPH Uninterruptible Functions Community Services: WIC - Nutrition Services Vaccine Distribution Disease Reporting/ Investigations Emergency Countermeasures Protocols Partner notification services and Medication to STD medical personnel in CT Tuberculosis Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) and Medication Distribution

24. How’s Your Plan Coming Along?

25. Keeping Connecticut Healthy www.ct.gov/dph www.ct.gov/ctfluwatch