August 30, 2010
By David Hutchins
Five years have passed since Hurricane Katrina, one of the most deadly and costly hurricanes on record, devastated the Gulf Coast. While the Gulf Coast is still recovering from the damage caused by the 2005 hurricane season, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center is warning of a 2010 hurricane season eerily similar to 2005. Citing all-time high sea surface temperatures in key areas of the Atlantic Ocean, as well as the El Niño cycle, NOAA predicts that the 2010 season will most likely produce 14 to 23 named storms, eight to 14 hurricanes and three to seven major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger).
Faced with this alarming forecast and with Hurricane Earl gaining strength off of the Eastern Seaboard, many state and local agencies are investigating what they can do to keep operations up and running during a major disruption such as a hurricane. Although most agencies are aware that a disaster preparedness plan is important, many key components are often either overlooked or not fully tested. Developing a solid and proven disaster preparedness plan is crucial to ensuring minimal interruptions to critical operations during weather emergencies or other disruptions. The following business continuity checklist can help state and local agencies take the first steps to avoid costly downtime, reduce inconvenience to constituents, and prevent disruption of critical services provided by the organization to the public:
