“Best Practices in Business”: Planning for

Pandemic InfluenzaJim Goble, CBCP

National City CorporationSeptember 14, 2006

Objectives

• Business Continuity Planning Life Cycle

• Using the BCP Life Cycle to wrap your arms around Pandemic Planning

• Where to start, whether you have no plans, some plans or are well on your way

• How to use your plans when something happens

• What to do when you leave today!

BCP Lifecycle

Plan

Development

Business

Impact

Analysis

Plan

Maintenance

Quality

Review

Function Assessment• Criticality• Quantify Impacts• Recovery Requirements• Dependencies and Risks

Planning Scenarios • Loss of Facilities• Loss of systems/

infrastructure• Loss of people

Plan Updates• Gap Remediation• Organizational Change• Technological Change• Business Change

Plan Validation • Management Reviews• QA Review• Exercises/Tests

Characteristics and Challenges of a Pandemic

Source: http://www.pandemicflu.gov/general/whatis.html

• Potential of Rapid Worldwide Spread– Planning should assume that the entire population would be susceptible.– Countries might, through measures, delay the arrival of the virus, but not stop it.

• Health Care Systems Overloaded– Most people have little or no immunity to a pandemic virus. A substantial

percentage of the population will require some form of medical care.– Nations would unlikely have the staff, facilities, equipment and hospital beds

needed to cope with large numbers of people who suddenly fall ill. – Past pandemics have spread globally in two and sometimes three waves.

• Medical Supplies Inadequate– Need for vaccine / antiviral drugs likely to outstrip supply.– This need will also likely be inadequate early in a pandemic.– A pandemic can create a shortage of hospital beds, ventilators and other supplies. Surge

capacity at non-traditional sites, such as schools, may be created to cope with the demand.– Difficult decisions will need to be made regarding who gets drugs and vaccines.

• Economic and Social Disruptions– Restricted travel, closings of schools and business, and cancellations of events could have

a major impact on communities and their citizens.– Care for family members and fear of exposure can result in significant absenteeism.

Plan

Development

Business

Impact

Analysis

Plan

Maintenance

Quality

Review

Plan

Development

Business

Impact

Analysis

Plan

Maintenance

Quality

Review

Planning Assumptions

• Worldwide Impact – rapid spread to USA (3-8 weeks)• Pandemic wave could last 6-8 weeks; subsequent waves could

occur if virus mutates.• 25 – 35% Infection Rate (1.5 – 2 days before symptoms)• 25 – 40% absenteeism could occur

(employee sickness, family sickness/death, fear, home deployment)• Up to 2% mortality rate• Supply chain (materials and services) disruptions likely• Probability still unknown for the H5N1 virus mutation;

Probability is high for a future pandemic• Impact is high >> Risk is high

What are the Primary Risks?• Employee health impacts• Loss of availability of staff impacting

Business Services due to:– Employee health– Family care responsibilities (school closings)– Fear of contracting flu – Civil unrest

• Business Services impacted due to:– Disrupted service from Business Partner– Global supply chain disruption

Risk Mitigation Strategies• Employee Health Impacts

• Educate workforce on facts, general health prevention, our readiness• Prevention of Avian Flu strain spread

– Cleaning contracts– Personal hygiene

• Develop strategies to minimize impact from human to human contact – Customer contact– Employee contact– Service provider contact

• Develop strategies to minimize impact from human contact with materials – Mail– Workflow

• Employee Health Care• Revised policies• Family care responsibilities• Fear of contracting flu • Civil unrest

• Minimize impacts to Business Services• Strategies for services from Business Partner• Strategies for Global supply change disruption• Strategies for service reductions and absenteeism

Plan

Development

Business

Impact

Analysis

Plan

Maintenance

Quality

Review

Plan

Development

Business

Impact

Analysis

Plan

Maintenance

Quality

Review

Planning StrategyKey to adding value: - By phase to ensure proper risk/cost balance - Apply to normal planning (e.g. school closings due to snow similar to large loss of staff) to get additional value

World Health Organization (WHO) Levels

WHO Pandemic Phases Focus of Response

• Phase 3 - Pandemic Alert – Pandemic is possible and preparedness plans should be reviewed and updated where necessary. (Current Phase)

• Phase 4 - Pre-Pandemic – Localized outbreaks of the disease occur with human-to-human transmission

• Phase 5 - Pandemic Outbreak – General outbreaks with human to human transmission will occur causing a reduced level of service.

• Phase 6 - Maximum Disruption Period – Maximum disruption to business will occur causing a greater reduction service levels.

Establish a plan; Educate the organization; Understand next steps; Gain management commitment; personal hygiene

Prepare for imminent activities; Execute preventative actions; Confirm resources for near term activities

Implement restrictive practices; implement medical care activities; prepare for high absenteeism

Crisis Management; Support most critical services; Support affected employee base; Restore impacted services

So, What’s Next?

Develop your plans!!!

Business Continuity Planning

Wallet Card

Simple BCP Template

http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/ Business Planning Checklists

Wallet Card

• Simple & Effective

• Quick Start, begins central leadership and coordination

Emergency Notification & Assessment Procedures KEY CONTACTS COMMUNICATI ONS ASSESSMENT MEETI NG AGENDA

Work #

Home #

Pager #

Team Leader – Escalate Situations to this person

Cell #

Work #

Home #

Pager #

Alternate Team Leader

Cell #

Work #

Home #

Pager #

Direct Mgr / Supervisor – person who will provide direct updates to the employee Cell #

Work #

Home #

Pager #

Building Mgmt Contact

Cell #

CONFERENCE CALL BRI DGE xxx- xxx- xxxx,

EMPLOYEE UPDATE LI NE

XXX- XXX- XXXX Online Plans or Employee Information

www.websitename.com ALTERNATE WORK LOCATIONS

List address and directions to recovery site.

Date & Time of I ncident Type of I ncident (Fire, Power Outage, etc.) Location and Address of I ncident Suspected Cause Building Evacuation Status Employee Status

o All employees accounted f or? o Any injuries? o Any personal needs preventing them f rom working?

Civil authorities response and protocol f or access to damaged site.

News media attention/ reaction. What is the state of the building? What utilities are

available (heat, A/ C, phones, power)? I s it accessible? Business Units and Services/ Products impacted Message to post to Employee Status Line Does damage appear to be of a level we will need to make

insurance claims? Time of Next Meeting

Simple BCP Template• Next step after wallet card• Develops further detail & checklists• Document to address all areas of the BCP

Life Cycle• Word document...customize to your

needs.• Update as a result of plan

reviews, exercises and CHANGE!

Plan

Development

Business

Impact

Analysis

Plan

Maintenance

Quality

Review

Plan

Development

Business

Impact

Analysis

Plan

Maintenance

Quality

Review

www.pandemicflu.gov• Business Pandemic Plan Checklist

– Plan for the impact of a pandemic on your business.– Plan for the impact of a pandemic on your employees

and customers.– Establish policies to be implemented during a

pandemic.– Allocate resources to protect your employees and

customers during a pandemic.– Communicate to and educate your employees.– Coordinate with external organizations and help your

community.

People – Pandemic Considerations

• Classify Staff to Support Products & Services • Non-critical – resource to cross-train or stay at home• Can work from home• Critical and required to work onsite

• Work Environment• Need to feel safe (hygiene, safety products, etc.)• Social distancing• Staggered shifts (work 2nd and 3rd shifts)• Security

• HR Policies• Pay considerations (vacation policy, sick policy, etc.)• Travel restrictions

P

Communications – Pandemic Considerations

• Alternate Communications– Blackberrys– Text messaging– Media– Satellite Phones– Email– Websites

P

Assessment – Pandemic Considerations

• Pandemics managed locally– Daily Updates from Kalamazoo County Health

Department• School closings• Restrictions (e.g. social gatherings, travel, etc.)

– Kalamazoo County Emergency Management• Travel / Security• Public Services

• Have daily status meetings to assess available staff and state of products and services

P

Something Happens, Now What?

• WHO Phases change; next steps in your Pandemic Plan

• Have a non-pandemic situation

When Something Happens• You have plans, but how do you invoke them.• Crisis Management Team (CMT), Incident

Management Team (IMT) or Incident Leadership Team (ILT)

NEED: Foundationto get toeffectiverecovery

When you leave…• Make the commitment!• Get More Information and Examples• Get started - build plans

• Wallet Card• Simple Plan• www.pandemicflu.gov

• Create Awareness / Educate• Get Involved

• County Pandemic Planning Committee• Kalamazoo County Emergency Management

Appendix

SupplementalReference Material

BusinessPandemicPlanning

Phase 3 – Pandemic Alert Activities

Objective: Establish a plan; Educate the organization; Understand next steps; Gain management commitment

Disseminate information to employees about your pandemic preparedness and response plan.

Develop strategies for prevention in customer contact areas.

Determine what near term HR policy changes may be required (To be at the end of each phase for the subsequent phase).

Identify community resources for obtaining counter-measures (e.g. vaccines and antivirals).

Identify sources for general health education and contacts. Local contacts aligned to the larger population areas and key critical areas.

Obtain Pandemic Preparedness statement from all vendors providing critical services. Identify critical suppliers and validate their preparedness plans

Establish policies for restricting travel to affected geographic areas (consider both domestic and international sites),

Determine preventive care procedures

Develop policies for social distancing (no meetings, personal spacing…)

Phase 4 – Pre-Pandemic Activities

Objectives: Prepare for imminent activities; Execute preventative actions; Confirm resources for near term activities

Provide cleaning supplies and janitorial practices within facilities

Prepare document to be shared with vendors and corporate customers who need to know our plans

.

Determine proactive preventative care that can be offered to employees

Establish policies for employees who have been exposed to pandemic influenza, are suspected to be ill, or become ill at the worksite (e.g. infection control response, immediate mandatory sick leave).

Establish policies for flexible worksite (e.g. telecommuting) and flexible work hours (e.g. staggered shifts).

Establish policies for preventing influenza spread at the worksite (e.g. promoting respiratory hygiene/ cough etiquette, and prompt exclusion of people with influenza symptoms).

Implement guidelines to modify the frequency and type of face-to-face contact among employees and with customers

Identify critical suppliers and validate their preparedness plans

Phase 4 – Pre-Pandemic Activities (cont.)

Identify essential critical functions required to maintain business operations by location and function during a pandemic.

Identify essential employees and other critical inputs (e.g. raw materials, suppliers, sub-contractor services/ products, and logistics) required to maintain business operations

Identify roles that could be executed from alternate locations, identify technology related additional needs.

Identify workloads that could be moved to off shifts

Develop visitor and delivery restriction policy

Establish policies for evacuating employees working in or near an affected area, and guidance for employees returning

Develop plans for adequate critical infrastructure to support increased levels of remote access

Implement strategies for delivery of mail, packages and equipment

Implement strategies for prevention in customer contact areas.

Implement revised policy for required vs optional attendance at work.

Implement what near term HR policy changes may be required

Phase 5 – Pandemic Outbreak Activities

Objectives: Implement restrictive practices; implement medical care activities; prepare for high absenteeism

Implement and enforce policies changes

Implement strategies for work force replacement

Implement prevention policies for work locations. Include use of hand sanitizers, masks and gloves

Develop plans for work locations, sequestering and activation of backup facilities

Identify alternate workforce options

Implement adjusted policies for impacted area

Phase 6 – Maximum Disruption Activities

Objectives: Crisis Management; Support most critical services; Support affected employee base; Restore impacted services

Implement screening stations and post signage

Implement plans to close non-critical common areas such as cafeterias.

Train and prepare ancillary workforce (e.g. contractors, employee in other job titles/descriptions, retirees).

Adjust work process to maximize ability of work at home staff

Non-critical functions need to be put on hold and all available staff needs to be redirected to areas affected by high absenteeism.

Reduce the number of open, active sales/branch locations and consolidate staff

Additional Information

Links Purpose / Description

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/facts.htm

http://www.pandemicflu.gov/general/whatis.html

Key Facts

http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/ Business Planning Checklists

http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/en/ World Health Organization

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/outbreaks/current.htm Current Situation

http://www.cdc.gov/travel/other/avian_influenza_se_asia_2005.htm

Travel Information

IncidentLeadership

Model

Values Model

NEED: Foundationto get toeffectiverecovery

1. Build off of People

• Team to Lead Situations– Skills/Services Needed

(Facility, Security, Media, Finance/Insurance, Information Technology, Leadership, Human Resources, etc.)

– Representation from business units

• Contact Information for all employees– Email, home, cell, emergency contacts, etc.

2. Communications• Employees

– Call trees– Wallet Card– Status Line– Protocol: Call manager or

Hear from manager

• Customers & Vendors– Daily status/conference call,

email, voicemail, direct calls, call tree, websites, etc.

– Protocols and workarounds

Sally

Fred Tracy Joe

Ed

Will

Lori

3. Assessment• Status of Employees

– Daily call tree, escalation to manager, email, etc.• Able to work, sick or caring for others,

• Status of Key Products & Services– Red, Yellow, Green– Items to sustain:

• Supplies• Staffing (& skills)• Vendors

• Impact to departments– Directly impacted– Indirectly impacted– No impact – can be a resource

4. Coordination & Interdependencies• Team

– Command Center / Conference Calls• Customer Speaking Points• Status (Staff, Products & Services, Supplies)• Issues/Needs

• Departments– Vendor/Suppliers– Customers– Other Internal Departments

• Employees– Call Trees– Status from Managers– Status Line– Website

5. Recovery

• Your Detailed Plans!– Know what people and resources are

available– Workaround / Alternate Procedures– Alternate worksite– Checklists – reduces redundancy,

increases consistency