EM Continuity of Operations Planning 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does 'devolution of control' mean in the context of COOP?
- Transferring authority to a higher-level government agency during an emergency
- The transfer of authority and responsibilities to pre-designated personnel at a separate location (Correct answer)
- Returning operations to the primary facility after reconstitution
- Delegating budget authority to department heads during normal operations
Correct answer: The transfer of authority and responsibilities to pre-designated personnel at a separate location
Devolution of control transfers authority and essential functions to pre-designated staff at a separate location, typically used when primary and alternate leadership are both unavailable.
Question 2: Vital records in a COOP plan are best described as:
- Records needed to support legally required emergency notifications
- Personnel files for all employees affected by the emergency
- Records essential to continue mission essential functions and protect legal and financial rights (Correct answer)
- Historical incident reports filed with FEMA
Correct answer: Records essential to continue mission essential functions and protect legal and financial rights
Vital records are those records an organization needs to perform its MEFs and protect the legal and financial rights of the organization and individuals it serves.
Question 3: An Alternate Operating Facility (AOF) in a COOP plan must be:
- Located within the same building as the primary facility for fast access
- Sufficiently separated geographically to be unaffected by the same hazard impacting the primary facility (Correct answer)
- Operated by a federal agency regardless of the organization's sector
- Equipped only with communication equipment, not workstations
Correct answer: Sufficiently separated geographically to be unaffected by the same hazard impacting the primary facility
An AOF must be geographically separated from the primary site so it is not impacted by the same incident that disrupts the primary facility.
Question 4: What is the primary goal of the 'reconstitution' phase of a COOP activation?
- Activating emergency notifications to staff and stakeholders
- Identifying and prioritizing mission essential functions
- Returning operations to the primary facility or a permanent new facility (Correct answer)
- Training staff on alternate facility procedures
Correct answer: Returning operations to the primary facility or a permanent new facility
Reconstitution is the process by which an organization returns operations to its primary operating facility or establishes a new permanent facility after a COOP event.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes a Business Impact Analysis (BIA) in COOP planning?
- A financial audit of losses sustained during a declared emergency
- A process to identify critical functions and assess the impact of their disruption over time (Correct answer)
- A FEMA grant application tool for continuity funding
- An after-action report completed following a COOP exercise
Correct answer: A process to identify critical functions and assess the impact of their disruption over time
A Business Impact Analysis identifies critical functions, the resources needed to support them, and the potential impact of their disruption over time, forming the foundation of COOP planning.
Question 6: COOP plans should be tested through exercises at what minimum recommended frequency?
- Every 5 years
- Every 3 years
- Annually (Correct answer)
- Only following a real activation
Correct answer: Annually
Federal continuity guidance requires organizations to test, train, and exercise their COOP capabilities at least annually to ensure plans remain viable and staff are prepared.
Question 7: Which term refers to agreements between organizations to support each other with resources, facilities, or capabilities during a COOP event?
- Interagency Task Orders
- Mutual Aid Agreements (MAA) or Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) (Correct answer)
- Federal Assistance Compacts
- Emergency Support Function Annexes
Correct answer: Mutual Aid Agreements (MAA) or Memoranda of Understanding (MOU)
Mutual Aid Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding are pre-established arrangements that allow organizations to share resources, facilities, and capabilities when activated during a COOP event.
EM Continuity of Operations Planning 2
What does 'devolution of control' mean in the context of COOP?