Top 10 actions a CIO can take to prepare for hurricane
A practical advice from well prepared CIOs of Gulf Coast companies.
This guide outlines the top ten actions a corporate information officer can take to prepare its organization within a hurricane impact zone. Here are the points in brief:
1. Provide a flexible crisis communications system with multiple communication channels.
2. Retain Up-to-Date Contact Information for your Employees and Key Contacts.
3. Be sure to have a crisis communication system with two-way communications in order to locate all employees and identify any that may need help.
4. Plan in advance for a move to a temporary workspace with access to critical business systems, and ensure that your company's documentation is securely archived and accessible from a remote location.
5. Business continuity depends on a working email system.
6. Have a system in place that will maintain email service, while also ensuring compliance with legal and business rules.
7. Consider geographic diversification for hosting of online services.
8. Rehearse the emergency plan with key staff members and verify that you can reach them through multiple communication channels.
9. Expect the unexpected: be prepared to change instructions quickly and to notify employees with the latest information.
10. Plan for the overall business impact of operations before the storm. Prioritize and publish recovery sequence plans to minimize the outage effects on the business, customers, suppliers and employees.