University of Houston
Business Continuity Planning
Office of Emergency Management
University of Houston
4343 Elgin
Houston TX, 77204
What is Emergency Management?
The mission of the emergency management at the University of
Houston is to:
 Prevent/Mitigate
 Prepare for
 Response to
 Recovery from, and
Business Continuity Planning Regulations
Business Continuity Planning (BCP):
• Ensures compliance with Texas Administrative Code 202.74
Business Continuity Planning.
• Ensures compliance with Texas Department of Public Safety – State
Office of Risk Management Directive, Dated October 24, 2013
• Ensures compliance with Texas Labor Code, Title 5, Subtitle A,
Chapter 412, Subchapter 1 – General Provisions
• Assist in the mitigation effects of unexpected events which may
disrupt normal business operations
• Living document
Purpose and Objective
Purpose:
• Improve readiness and response
• Guide for departments to continue functions through any disruptive
incident
Objective:
• Identify processes and improvements that would minimize or
eliminate the amount of time and resources required to resume
business
Qualitative and Quantitative
Why is Continuity Planning Important?
$$$
Day 1…….Day 3…….Day5…………………….Day11……
Key Elements of Continuity Planning
Business
Impact
Analysis
Essential
Functions &
Plan
Development
Test &
Exercise
Implement &
Maintain
Identify 3P’s
Use Priority
Listing to Identify
Essential
Functions
Develop Plan
Implement the
Plan
Identify Critical
Interruptions
Address
Individual
Functions
Training
Maintain the
Plan
Assess the
Impact &
Prioritize
Recovery
Strategies
Identify Gaps
Annual Review
Life, Property and Processes
Identify the resources/assets (Life, Places, Processes):
Life
Property
Students, Employees,
Visitors, Animals,
Vendors
Infrastructure &
Facilities
Communications &
Notifications
Data &
Vital Records
Backup
Assets, Equip &
Supplies
Availability
Processes
Business Cycles &
Critical Dates
ICT Systems & Single
Point of Failure (SPOF)
Operational
Dependencies &
Alternatives
Department’s Function
 Instruction
 Student life support
 Laboratory research
 Research support
 Other research
 Facilities support
 Administration
 Other (describe):
Department Objectives
Describe your teaching, research and/or service objectives
during an emergency.
Examples include: Ensuring access to clinical research
documentation at an alternate location or switching lectures
from classroom setting to an online offering.
Objective 1:
Objective 2:
Objective 3:
Department Contacts
Name
Phone Number
Campus Address
Name
Phone Number
Campus Address
Primary Contact
Email address
Dept. locations
Secondary Contact
Email address
Dept. locations
Data Information/Systems
Data
Is computer data backed up regularly?
Is data accessible from an alternate location?
Is data accessible when the network is down?
System
Are information systems essential during an emergency?
include details in your plan
Department Emergency Communication
 Phone
 Email
 Text messaging
 Call tree
 UH web sites
 Pager
 Instant messaging
 Other (describe): Electronic Billboard UH radio station
Critical Essential Functions
Critical essential functions are those functions that must continue or
resume rapidly after a disruption of normal activities.
The critical interruptions matrix will assist in determining whether or
not your area has any essential functions. Essential functions are
listed as people, places or processes that must continue functioning
during a wide range of emergencies.
Critical Interruptions Matrix
Condition
Critical program space & facilities are damaged
or not available
Critical equipment is damaged or not available
Centrally provided power becomes unavailable
Communications via phone, fax, email, and
internet becomes unavailable
Central Information Systems are nonfunctional. Mission critical data is not
unavailable
Local information systems (LAN or desktops)
become non-functional
Staff is impacted by the disaster and not
available to work
Critical business partners or vendors are unable
to provide goods or services
Days
1–2
Days
3–4
Days
5 – 10
Days
11+
Comments
Essential Functions Listing
Essential Function:
Primary
Alternate
Second Alternate
Primary
Alternate
Second Alternate
People
Responsible
Phone Numbers
Essential Function:
People
Responsible
Phone Numbers
Essential Function:
Interdependencies
What are your department’s business interdependencies? What do you
need from other departments to perform critical essential functions? List
below the other products and services upon which your department
depends on and the internal UH departments that provides that service.
1. Dependency (product/service):
Provider (UH department):
Has contact been made with
dependency department to
confirm services will be available
for your department during an
emergency?
YES
Date Contacted:______________
NO
Contact Person:______________
External Dependencies
What are your department’s business external dependencies? What do
you need from departments outside UH to perform critical essential
functions?
Dependency (product or
service)
Primary
Supplier/Provider
Phone Numbers
Alternate
Leadership Succession
Name
Head of BCP
First Successor
Second Successor
Third Successor
Phone Number
Alt Phone Number
Vulnerability/Risk Assessment
Considering your objectives, dependencies and essential functions, list below your
vulnerabilities, and whether or not you can mitigate this vulnerability or area of risk.
If yes, what mitigation strategies have you implemented or could you implement in
order to minimize the impacts from this vulnerability/risk? This may be the most
important step of your emergency continuity planning process. Formulation of your
mitigation strategies may require reevaluation of your objectives and functions.
Vulnerability/Risk
Can you mitigate?
Mitigation Strategies
Yes/No
Example: UH
Emergency Operation
Center depends on
internet access to
function properly.
Yes
1. Hotspot ($480.00 annually)
2. Request priority access from IT
Exercising Your Plan
Resumption
RESUMPTION OF NORMAL OPERATIONS
Describe your BCP to fully resume operations as soon as possible after the
crisis has passed. Identify and address resumption/scheduling of normal
activities and services, work backlog, resupply of inventories, absenteeism,
the use of earned time off, and personal needs.
Plan Approval
Questions?
Be Prepared
Make A Plan
Be Informed
Kelly Boysen, B.S., M.A.G.
Director, Emergency Management
E-mail: krboysen@uh.edu
Office: 713-743-2841
Ginger Walker, B.A.
Emergency Management Specialist
Planning and Business Continuity
E-mail: gkwalker@uh.edu
Office: 832-842-0583
www.uh.edu/oem
http://www.uh.edu/emergency-management/planning-and-response/business-continuity-plans/