Higher Education
Disaster Recovery * Business Continuity * Emergency Management
Automatic Notification
The Problem
Addressing preparedness for a campus requires Disaster Recovery Planning
for Information Technology, Business Continuity for Administration and Student Affairs,
and Emergency Management for student, faculty and staff safety.
Often, the responsibility to address preparedness falls to someone in IT, Risk Management
or Campus Safety. However, whoever it is, it is usually an added responsibility
to their existing job and not a full time assignment. Even if it were a full time
position, the magnitude of what needs to be addressed can be overwhelming. Colleges
and universities are like small towns or cities. They have many buildings, thousands,
even tens of thousands of people, a dependency on Information Technology, their
own police and fire departments, and so on. Resources assigned to develop and maintain
response and recovery plans are just not able to address the totality of the tasks
required. It’s only natural to reach out for a software tool to assist in plan development
and maintenance. However, most tools are too expensive, too complex at the planner
level and certainly at the end-user level. Often times, software tools are purchased
and because of their complexity never fully get implemented, yet because of the
license agreement they must be paid for year after year. Also, service can be very
poor or non-existent.
Attention is drawn to the need for a plan when the subject has been made visible
by the media in covering recent events or something has happened on campus. Then,
a focus on plans and planning receives great attention and procedures are written,
resources are rallied to provide immediate attention. However, “time” has a way
of fading memories and life goes on. Without a viable software tool to make the
management and maintenance of policies, procedures and information gathered, possible
the plan becomes outdated and ineffective. Unfortunately, this is the life cycle
of “preparedness” on many colleges and universities.
The need to quickly alert students, faculty and staff of an immediate or pending
danger is absolutely essential in today’s higher-education environment. However,
for many colleges and universities, the price for an effective method and system
is cost prohibitive.
The Solution
CPO has developed a methodology and supporting software system, CPOtracker™, which
has been effectively assisting the education sector in developing and maintaining
Disaster Recovery, Business Continuity and Emergency Management Plans for over 5
years. The same methodology and system has been in use effectively assisting some
of the nation’s largest companies for over 15 years. Yes, they have the same problem;
developing and keeping Plans current.
Service
While we have a proven methodology and software tool, we also know how important
support is in applying the methodology and system to your college or university
and university system. CPO provides training and application support as well as
a Help Desk to ensure success. We realize that developing and maintaining Plans
is not a “one-time” project, but rather a living, ongoing effort.
Software Planning Tool
CPO’s plan management software, CPOtracker, is available in several editions designed
to fit any size college or university budget. The university may purchase a perpetual
license and install the system on the university’s web server or the university
may subscribe to CPO’s Hosting Service, where CPO will maintain the CPOtracker system
at the current release, which will be available to any authorized individual via
any computer having an Internet connection.
Highlighted Features
Applying CPO’s methodology and software system will allow you to always know the
degree of readiness at the single or multi-campus level for IT, Administration and
Emergency Management and you will be able to produce supporting Readiness Reports.
- Generate Plans - automatically generate the Disaster Recovery, Business Continuity
and Emergency Management Plans for implementation and distribution whenever changing
information within dictates
- Automatic Notification - quickly notify via text, voice and email all those relevant
to the immediate situation
- Import Contact Information - easily maintain personnel contact information
- Document Management - who is assigned what policies, procedures and other documents
comprising the emergency response and recovery Plans and what the update status
is
- Tasks Management - who is responsible for conducting fire, team walk-throughs, and
when have they been done and were there any issues needing to be addressed, etc.
- Readiness Reports - the university can produce Readiness Reports indicating how
ready the various departments are or the entire campus is in their effort to effectively
respond to and recover from any emergency and disaster situation
- Multi-campus Capability – has the “optional” capability to separately manage any
number of universities in a university system. With one software system, each university
can comply with a standard format and method for preparedness and share common information.
Readiness and Emergency Preparedness for Colleges and Universities
The CPO methodology and CPOtracker system address all of the requirements for complying
with NIMS/ICS, some of which are listed below:
- Complies with NIMS and ICS required structure and assignments
- Incorporates the four phases of emergency management: Prevention-Mitigation, Preparedness,
Response and Recovery
- Training for university personnel in emergency management procedures
- Coordination with local law enforcement, public safety, public health, mental health
agencies and local government
- Provides the capability to communicate university emergency management policies
and reunification procedures
- Provides for “sustainability” via “accountability” to keep Plans current
- Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined
- Tabletop exercises and drills are conducted as well as full-scale exercises
- Plans are developed and are maintainable at the department, campus and university
system level
- Procedures supporting all anticipated emergencies and infectious diseases including
pandemic planning
Partners in Education Preparedness
CPO has experience in developing and managing preparedness plans since the mid 1970’s.
During this period, CPO has selected the best of the best companies and consultants
to form strategic alliances that collectively provide the total solution to any
one campus or entire university system.
For more information on CPO’s Preparedness Products and Services
call (803) 712-6105.
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