CertusBank N.A.
Business Continuity Plan For
CertusSecurities, Inc.
December 19, 2011
Table of Contents
Plan Overview ............................................................................................................................................... 4
Purpose: .................................................................................................................................................... 4
Objective: .................................................................................................................................................. 4
Scope:........................................................................................................................................................ 4
Assumptions:............................................................................................................................................. 5
Strategies: ................................................................................................................................................. 5
CertusSecurities, Inc. Firm Policy .............................................................................................................. 6
Significant Business Disruptions (SBDs) .................................................................................................... 6
Approval and Execution Authority ............................................................................................................ 6
CertusSecurities, Inc. Business Description .............................................................................................. 6
CertusSecurities, Inc. Office Locations ...................................................................................................... 7
Control Strategy ............................................................................................................................................ 8
Training Methodology............................................................................................................................... 8
Testing Methodology ................................................................................................................................ 8
Plan Maintenance ..................................................................................................................................... 8
Policy Distribution ..................................................................................................................................... 9
Certus Securities, Inc. Data Back-Up and Recovery (Hard Copy and Electronic) ...................................... 9
CertusSecurities, Inc. Disclosure of Business Continuity Plan ................................................................ 10
Business Unit/Work Area Recovery Strategy.............................................................................................. 11
CertusSecurities, Inc. Alternate Physical Location(s) of Employees ....................................................... 11
CertusSecurities, Inc.’s Mission Critical Systems .................................................................................... 11
Order Taking ........................................................................................................................................... 12
Order Entry ............................................................................................................................................. 12
Other Services Currently Provided to Customers ................................................................................... 12
CertusSecurities, Inc.’s Mission Critical Systems Provided by Our Clearing Firm ................................... 13
Customers’ Access to Funds and Securities ............................................................................................ 13
CertusSecurities, Inc. Critical Business Constituents, Banks, and Counter-Parties .................................... 13
Business constituents.............................................................................................................................. 13
Banks ....................................................................................................................................................... 13
Gaps/Risks ................................................................................................................................................... 14
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CertusSecurities, Inc. Operational Risk ................................................................................................... 15
CertusSecurities, Inc. Financial and Credit Risk ...................................................................................... 15
Tasks/Sub-Tasks .......................................................................................................................................... 16
Response ................................................................................................................................................. 16
Notification ............................................................................................................................................. 16
Assess Disruption .................................................................................................................................... 16
Activate the Business Continuity Plan .................................................................................................... 17
Manage and Restore: .............................................................................................................................. 17
Team Positions and People ......................................................................................................................... 18
Notification Call List: ................................................................................................................................... 18
CertusSecurities, Inc. Emergency Contact Persons................................................................................. 18
CertusSecurities, Inc. Call Tree:............................................................................................................... 18
CertusSecurities, Inc.’s Alternate Communications between the Firm and Customers, Regulators ......... 20
Customers ............................................................................................................................................... 20
Regulators ............................................................................................................................................... 20
Regulatory Reporting .............................................................................................................................. 21
Appendix A - Incident Checklist .................................................................................................................. 22
Appendix B – Expense Log .......................................................................................................................... 24
Appendix C – Emergency Reference Information ....................................................................................... 25
Hurricane Safety Tips (1 of 2) .................................................................................................................. 25
Hurricane Safety Tips (2 of 2) .................................................................................................................. 26
Disaster Resources (1 of 2) ..................................................................................................................... 27
Disaster Resources (2 of 2) ..................................................................................................................... 28
Power Outage Tips (1 of 2) ..................................................................................................................... 29
Power Outage Tips (2 of 2) ..................................................................................................................... 30
Thunderstorms and Lightning Safety Tips (1 of 2) .................................................................................. 31
Thunderstorms and Lightning Safety Tips (2 of 2) .................................................................................. 32
Explosion Safety Procedures ................................................................................................................... 33
Earthquake Safety Procedures................................................................................................................ 33
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Plan Overview
CertusSecurities, Inc is an introducing Broker/Dealer regulated by FINRA ,the SEC and the
MSRB.CertusSecurities, Inc. is a business unit of CertusBank, NA. As a Broker/Dealer CertusSecurities,
Inc. must adhere to specific guidelines constituted by it’s regulating bodies. As for CertusSecurities,
Inc.’s Business Continuity Plan (BCP) it will also conform to the BCP instituted by CertusBank, NA in
conjunction with it’s responsibilities as a Broker/Dealer.
Purpose: Resiliency planning ensures that business units have the facilities, staff, office equipment,
vital records, access to the business partners and technology systems necessary to continue or resume
critical functions in the face of an emergency disruption. Recovery of information technology systems in
response to a major disruptive event is a related activity of equal importance.
Objective: The overall objective of the business recovery process is to facilitate and provide for the
resumption of business operations in accordance with pre-established timeframes (Recovery Time
Objectives (RTOs) in a timely and organized manner to continue as a viable and stable business process.
Additionally, this plan is intended to:
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Ensure continuity of critical process(es)
Identify and prioritize core processes, resources, suppliers and upstream and downstream
dependencies.
Minimize possible adverse financial and operational impacts as the result of a disruption to
normal business operations.
Minimize impact to CertusSecurities’ public and industry reputation.
Ensure business disruption is brought under control promptly.
Empower management with the information they need for control during an interruption.
Scope: The scope of this plan includes both time-sensitive and less time-sensitive business functions,
automated technology, and support resources required to recover the outlined critical functions
described herein. This plan will be activated in the event “business as usual” conditions do not exist.
This plan addresses business recovery and resumption activities in a disaster situation and in accordance
with regulatory guidelines that govern the financial industry. Determining the state of readiness of
vendors in the event of a disruption or obtaining copies of vendor BCPs are not in scope within this plan.
Vendor Management owns this component.
Disaster and emergency risks could strike CertusSecurities at any time. Some of these ongoing risks
could be caused by a single event, or a series of events, leading up to activation of the procedures
listed in this plan. Some of these common risks include, but are not limited to:
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Power failures
Hardware failures
Telephone service disruptions
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Software errors
Corrupted data
Earthquake
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
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Civil disturbance
Fire disturbance
Healthcare epidemic
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Acts of terrorism
Inclement weather
CertusSecurities is to protect itself, to the extent possible, from ongoing risks through
comprehensive business contingency and resumption plans described within this policy and other
related documentation. This plan is designed to identify high-risk areas and other risk reduction
strategies. This strategy allows for resumption of critical processes as soon as possible after
disruption.
Assumptions:
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Teammate safety is always the first priority
At least 50% of your teammates are available to assist in recovery activities.
Key personnel and succession details are in place.
Plans must support activation of business recovery from the point of disruption.
The contingency site will survive the disaster and will be accessible to support failed primary
work area operations during the activation of plan.
The recovery procedures contained in this plan are not intended to replace operational
procedures.
Teammates assigned to work from home (WFH) have access to CertusSecurities owned
equipment that meets standard bank requirements.
CertusSecurites and the Bank’s resources (i.e. Corporate Real Estate, Human Resources, etc) will
be available at the time of disaster to initiate process to restore the primary work area or secure
local facilities. Corporate Real Estate’s response to the event will be secondary to the recovery
plan.
Recovery strategies should be developed to cover outage durations of Intraday, short term and
long term.
Strategies: CertusSecurities has researched various recovery strategies and determined that the
following approach to recovery efforts will best fit its needs by:
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Using the existing office network for alternate facility space, as required.
Basing contingency and recovery strategies on an overall plan, consisting of scenarios describing
the loss of facilities, public utility services, critical computer services and/or services provided by
external service relationships/trading partners or both facilities and services.
Utilizing one of the regionally disbursed facilities for alternate occupational space, in the event
that one or more utilities fail. The order of succession depends on the impacted region.
Contingency and recovery strategies which are a result of loss of major utilities but are not a result of
computer system problems are addressed in this plan to include the relocation of business units and
technical resources to alternate office sites. This plan has identified CertusSecurities’ course of action to
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mitigate infrastructure failures out of the its immediate control, such as a regional power failure, utility
failure or telecommunications failure.
CertusSecurities, Inc. Firm Policy
Per our policy, CertusSecurities Inc. will respond to a Significant Business Disruption (SBD) by
safeguarding employees’ lives and firm property, making a financial and operational assessment, quickly
recovering and resuming operations, protecting all of the firm’s books and records and allowing our
customers to transact business. If we determine that we are unable to continue our business, we will
assure customers the prompt access to their funds and securities.
Significant Business Disruptions (SBDs)
Our plan assumes two kinds of Significant Business Disruptions; internal disruptions and external
disruptions. An internal SBD affects our firm’s ability to communicate and conduct business, such as a
fire in our building. An external SBD prevents the operation of the securities markets or a number of
firms. These external disruptions include a terrorist attack, a city flood or a wide-scale, regional
disruption. Our response to an external SBD relies more heavily on other organizations and systems,
especially on the capabilities of our clearing firm, National Financial Services LLC (“NFS”).
Approval and Execution Authority
Thomas Johnson III, CCO, is a registered principal and is responsible for approving the plan and for
conducting the required annual review. Additionally, Thomas Johnson III has the authority to execute
this BCP.
CertusSecurities, Inc. Business Description
CertusSecurities Inc. conducts business in equity, fixed income, and derivative securities. Our firm is an
introducing firm and does not perform any type of clearing functionality for itself or other firms. We do
not hold customer funds or securities. CertusSecurities Inc., accepts trade orders and enters trade
orders with our clearing firm. Our clearing firm executes our trade orders, compares the trade orders,
allocates the trade orders and clears and settles the trade orders. Our clearing firm also maintains our
customers’ accounts, grants customer access to the accounts, and delivers funds and securities.
CertusSecurities Inc . services retail customers only.
Our clearing firm is National Financial Services LLC and our primary contact person at the clearing firm is
Michael Burke, (617) 563-9211. Representatives in the NFS Middle Office (800) 801-9942} can assist us
in the event that our primary contact is unavailable.
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CertusSecurities, Inc. Office Locations
CertusSecurities Inc., has a third party marketing arrangement with other banks allowing registered,
licensed representatives to provide brokerage services on bank premises through CertusSecurities Inc as
well as other locations as listed below:
CertusSecurities Inc – Atlanta, GA
Our main office location (an OSJ) is CertusSecurities Inc., 1100 Abernathy Road, 500 Northpark, Suite
400, Atlanta, GA 30328. The main telephone number is 404-266-0663 (800-749-0752). Employees are
able to travel to this office via foot, car, train and bus. We engage in order taking and order entry at this
location.
First Century Bank- Bluefield, WV
First Century Bank, 500 Federal Street, Bluefield, WV 24701 is a branch office location. The main
telephone number is 304-325-8181. Employees are able to travel to this office via foot or car. We
engage in order taking at this location.
Corporate Office – Charlotte, NC
Charlotte Corporate Office, 2100 Rexford Road, Suite 100, Charlotte, NC 28211. The main telephone
number is 704-973-3900. Employees are able to travel to this office via foot or car. We engage in order
taking and order entry at this location.
The Field House – Greenville, SC
The Field House, 935 South Main Street, Suite 300, Greenville, SC 29601. The main telephone number
is 864-478-1380. Employees are able to travel to this office via foot or car. We engage in order taking
and order entry at this location.
Riverplace Offices – Greenville, SC
Riverplace Offices, 210 River Street, Suite 500, Greenville, SC 28211. The main telephone number is
864-478-1385. Employees are able to travel to this office via foot or car. We engage in order taking and
order entry at this location.
Corporate Offices – Atlanta, GA
Corporate Offices, 1170 Peachtree Street, NE, Suite 2350, Atlanta, GA 30309. The main telephone
number is 678-293-1045. Employees are able to travel to this office via foot or car. We engage in order
taking and order entry at this location.
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Control Strategy
Training Methodology: Prepared, informed and knowledgeable employees are integral to the
success of a Business Continuity Program.
Awareness Training for new employees/managers – This information introduces new hires to the
concept of business continuity. The information is provided in new hire orientation.
Refresher – This training covers various topics and is tailored specifically to the audience in attendance.
Topics could include a review of preparedness procedures, roles and responsibilities or new topics. As
business continuity evolves and improved methods for performing daily functions in a business
contingency mode are introduced, it becomes necessary to incorporate new tools, procedures or
methods.
Procedural – This training reviews the alternate or manual procedures needed to support business
functions in the event of system outages, if applicable.
Testing Methodology: CertusSecurities realizes that contingency planning and disaster
recovery plans are of no value unless each portion of the plan is realistically and periodically tested
to ensure that established procedures will:
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Determine the feasibility of the business recovery process.
Identify deficiencies in the existing procedures.
Identify areas in this policy and other contingency plans that need modification or
enhancement.
Provide training to the team managers and team members.
Ensure the adequacy of procedures relating to the various teams involved in the recovery
process.
Demonstrate the ability of the organization to recover.
Provide a mechanism for maintaining and updating this policy and other contingency plans.
Some situations may be tested on a frequent basis such as staff and customer evacuation under fire
drill procedures, while other situations will require extensive planning and coordination to test
since they may include movement of equipment, personnel and materials to a back-up contingency
site.
Plan Maintenance: To ensure the most effective and efficient response to business continuity
within CertusBank, an intensive review of the Plan should be conducted annually. The review for all
categories of the Plan includes, but is not limited to, the following elements:
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Organizational changes
Functional or operational changes
Policy standard or procedural changes
Support partners
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Contingency strategy changes
Technology changes or advancements
Call tree maintenance and testing
The review process is documented and signoff is obtained from the Director of the Business Unit or their
designee.
CertusSecurities, Inc. will update this plan whenever we have a material change within our operations,
structure, business or location or if there are any such changes within our clearing firm. In addition, our
firm will review this Business Continuity Plan annually to make modifications to reflect any changes in
our operations, structure, business or location or any such changes with our clearing firm.
Policy Distribution
Plan Location and Access
CertusSecurities,Inc. will maintain copies of the Business Continuity Plan, the annual reviews of the plan
and any amendments or changes that have been made to the plan for inspection. An electronic copy of
our plan is located on a company network drive maintained and backed up by Reliance Financial
Corporation as well as the network drive of CertusBank. Additionally, the registered principals and
senior managers have a copy of this plan at their homes.
Certus Securities, Inc. Data Back-Up and Recovery (Hard Copy and Electronic)
CertusSecurities Inc. maintains its primary (original) hard copy documentation and electronic records at
the appropriate Office of Supervisory Jurisdiction (OSJ). The OSJ office locations is:
1. CertusSecurities Inc., 1100 Abernathy Road, 500 Northpark, Suite 400,
Atlanta, GA 30328
Thomas Johnson III, Supervising Principal, 404-262-9283 is responsible for the maintenance of these
books and records.
Copies of paperwork are kept at the originating branch office locations. The following is a list of
documentation that is maintained by the branch and/or OSJ and is not transmitted to our clearing firm:
New Account Forms / Customer Account Records
Trade Order Instruction forms
CertusSecurities Inc Policy Manual (Compliance, Supervisory and Procedures manual.)
Registered Representative information / NASD CRD info
Registered Representative Compensation Information
Registered Representative Complaint Records
Contact Persons Record
Communications Supervision Records
Responsible Principal Records
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Office Records
Communications with the Public
Organizational Documents
Special Reports
Exception Reports
In the event of an internal or external SBD that causes the loss of our original paper records at an OSJ,
we will physically recover the copies from the branch location. If our primary site is inoperable, we will
continue operations from the alternate locations specified in this plan. Reliance Financial Corporation
backs up all company network data and files each business day. This information is stored on a remote
server and is available for retrieval.
CertusSecurities, Inc. Disclosure of Business Continuity Plan
We will provide a written summary of our Business Continuity Plan to customers upon account opening.
We will also mail it to customers upon request. Our summary addresses the possibility of a future
significant business disruption (SBD) and the plans for responding to events of varying scope. The plan
summary provides specific scenarios of varying severity and general information about our intended
response. The summary also states our intention to continue business during the disruptions and the
planned recovery time. The existence of alternate locations and arrangements is also disclosed. The
Business Continuity Plan summary is attached.
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Business Unit/Work Area Recovery Strategy
CertusSecurities, Inc. Alternate Physical Location(s) of Employees
In the event of a Significant Business Disruption in our main office location in Atlanta, GA, the staff will
operate from their homes over their cell phones through the internet. Reliance Securities can also
relocate to one of the Reliance Financial subsidiaries’ local or nationwide offices.
If there is a SBD in any of our branch locations, operations will move to the appropriate Office of
Supervisory Jurisdiction (OSJ), Charlotte, Atlanta, Greenville (Riverplace and The Field House).
Critical Dependencies:
CertusSecurities, Inc.’s Mission Critical Systems
CertusSecurities Inc.’s “mission critical systems” are those that ensure prompt and accurate processing
of securities transactions. The processes include order taking, trade order entry, new account
establishment and existing account maintenance. Our clearing firm, National Financial Services LLC is
responsible for the execution, comparison, allocation, clearance and settlement of securities
transactions. National Financial Services LLC is also responsible for the delivery of funds and securities.
CertusSecurities Inc.’s mission critical systems include:
National Financial Services Streetscape System (Inquiry, Trade Input and Account Establishment)
617-320-2447
National Financial Services FBSI system (Back Office Processing) 617-320-2447
Reliance Financial Corporation network (email and internet access) 404-965-7276
Reliance Financial Corporation phone system 404-965-7276
CertusSecurities Inc. has primary responsibility for establishing and maintaining the business
relationships with our customers and has sole responsibility for the mission critical functions of order
taking, order entry and account establishment and maintenance. Through our contract, the clearing
firm provides the execution, comparison, allocation, clearance and settlement of securities transactions,
access to customer accounts and the delivery of funds and securities.
Our clearing firm maintains a business continuity plan and the capacity to execute that plan. Our
clearing firm represents that it will advise us of any material changes to its plan that might affect our
ability to maintain our business. In the event our clearing firm executes its plan, it represents that it will
notify us of such execution and provide us equal access to services as its other customers. If we
reasonably determine that our clearing firm has not or cannot put its plan in place quickly enough to
meet our needs or is otherwise unable to provide access to such services, our clearing firm represents
that it will assist us in seeking services from an alternate source.
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Our clearing firm represents that it backs up our records and stores them offsite at a hardened secure
facility. Our clearing firm operates back-up operating facilities and offices in geographically separate
areas with the capability to conduct critical functions including trading and relationship support. Our
clearing firm has also confirmed the effectiveness of its back-up arrangements to recover from a wide
scale disruption by testing and has confirmed that it tests its back-up arrangements annually.
Recovery time objectives provide concrete goals for planning and testing. These are not hard and fast
deadlines that must be met in every emergency situation. Various external factors surrounding a
disruption, such as time of day, scope of disruption and status of critical infrastructure—particularly
telecommunications—can affect actual recovery times. Recovery refers to the restoration of clearing
and settlement activities after a wide-scale disruption; resumption refers to the capacity to accept and
process new transactions and payments after a wide-scale disruption. For trade execution, our clearing
firm anticipates an immediate recovery time and resumption within the same business day.
Order Taking
Currently, branch locations receive trade orders via telephone, facsimile, email or in person visits by the
customer. (Telephone, facsimile and email trades are verified with the customer). During an SBD, either
internal or external, we will continue to take orders through any of these methods that are available and
reliable. The registered representatives will inform customers of alternate communication methods.
Order Entry
Currently, our firm accepts trade orders by recording them on paper (for non-electronic trades) and
sending them to our clearing firm electronically via the NFS Streetscape System. We can also place
trade orders via telephone by contacting NFS Middle Office at (800) 877-2410. If operations are moved
to an alternate facility, NFS business unit personnel will provide us with revised contact information. Per
the NFS BCP, we can expect the immediate recovery of trade execution services in the event of a
disruption.
In the event of an internal SBD, we will enter and send records to our clearing firm by the fastest
alternative means available which can include telephone, facsimile or secure email. In the event of an
external SBD, we will maintain the order in electronic or paper format and deliver the order to the
clearing firm by the fastest means available when it resumes operations. In addition, during an internal
SBD, we may require that all registered representatives deal directly with our clearing firm for trade
order entry.
Other Services Currently Provided to Customers
In addition to order entry and order taking, CertusSecurities Inc., also establishes new accounts and
inputs distribution requests and transfer requests with National Financial Services LLC. In the event of
an internal SBD, we will contact National Financial Services via any available communications method or
we will contact them from the alternate site(s) stated in Section V. In the event of an external SBD, we
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will contact our clearing firm, National Financial Services LLC, in accordance with the procedures listed in
their BCP.
CertusSecurities, Inc.’s Mission Critical Systems Provided by Our Clearing Firm
CertusSecurities Inc . relies by contract on our clearing firm to provide order execution, order
comparison, order allocation, account transaction processing, delivery of funds and securities, and
access to customer accounts.
Customers’ Access to Funds and Securities
CertusSecurities Inc. does not maintain custody of customers’ funds or securities. The assets are held
with our clearing firm, National Financial Services LLC.
In the event of an internal or external SBD, our registered representatives at the branch locations will
continue to take customer orders or instructions via telephone (if telephone service is available). These
trade orders or instructions will be communicated to the appropriate office location (or alternate office
location) or entered directly with National Financial Services LLC in accordance with our usual
procedure. If necessary, all representatives will directly contact our clearing firm with trade order
requests or other instructions.
If the SIPC determines that we are unable to meet our obligations to our customers or if our liabilities
exceed our assets in violation of Securities Exchange Act Rule 15c3-1, SIPC may seek to appoint a trustee
to disburse our assets to customers. We will assist SIPC and the trustee by providing our books and
records identifying customer accounts subject to SIPC regulation.
CertusSecurities, Inc. Critical Business Constituents, Banks, and CounterParties
Business constituents
The critical services for CertusSecurities Inc. are provided by the parent company, Reliance Financial
Corporation (“RFC”). These services include telecommunications, network services (internet/email) and
computer hardware. RFC has identified alternate arrangements in their continuity plan.
Banks
We have contacted our banks and lenders to determine if they can continue to provide the financing
that we will need in light of the internal or external SBD. The banks maintaining our Proprietary Account
of Introducing Broker/Dealers are RBC and State Street Bank, If our banks and other lenders are unable
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to provide the financing, we will seek alternative financing immediately through Blue Ridge Holdings,
LLC.
Contact List:
Internal:
External:
Business Unit
Supplier
Address
Contact Name:
Telephone
Number:
National Financial
Boston, Ma
Mike Burke
617-320-2447
Smarsh
75 Broad Street
Suite 306
New York, NY
10004
Artur Viera
866-762-7741
Reliance Financial
Corp
1100 Abernathy
Rd, Atlanty, GA
30328
Eric VanRiper
770-680-0566c
Securities Back
Office Solutions
Inc. (SBOS),
Global Relay
Communications,
Inc.
220 Cambie
Street, 2nd Floor
Vancouver, BC
V6B 2M9
678-274-1796o
Chris Guerin
770-578-0287
Chris Ford
604.484.6630
Gaps/Risks.
Date
Gap/Risk
Description
Remediation
Plan
Assigned
Ownership
Target Closure
Date
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CertusSecurities, Inc. Operational Risk
In the event of a significant business disruption, we will immediately identify the methods available to
communicate with our customers, employees, critical business constituents, critical banks and
regulators. Although the effects of an SBD will determine the means of alternative communication, the
communications options we will employ will include secure email, telephone and facsimile. In addition,
we will retrieve our key activity records as described in the section above, Data Back-Up and Recovery
(Hard Copy and Electronic).
CertusSecurities, Inc. Financial and Credit Risk
In the event of a significant business disruption, we will determine the value and liquidity of our
investments and other assets to evaluate our ability to continue to fund our operations and remain in
capital compliance. We will contact our clearing firm, critical banks, and investors to apprise them of
our financial status. If we determine that we may be unable to meet our obligations to those counterparties or otherwise continue to fund our operations, we will request additional capital inflow and
financing from our current equity holders, to fulfill our obligations to our customers and clients. If we
cannot remedy a capital deficiency as defined in SEC Rule 15c3-1, Curtis Weeks, Financial and
Operations Principal, will contact the principal SEC office, regional SEC office and FINRA the same day
the capital deficiency occurs as required by SEC Rule 17a-11.
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Tasks/Sub-Tasks – outline the tasks and sub-tasks for:
Response: Ensure safety of all. Manage business disruptions on site. Designated leaders will direct
action toward assuring teammate safety, reducing the immediate hazard and restoring normal
conditions.
Subtask Name
Evacuate premises
Account for teammates
Description
Lead teammates to evacuate to
designated meeting location
Ensure team mate accounting is
completed immediately
Report team mate accounting
results to LOB manager
Owner/Back-up
Thomas Johnson/Lee Jerrum
Thomas Johnson/Lee Jerrum
Notification: Follow incident checklist
Subtask Name
Description
Escalate problem to Senior
Management
Notify (insert name(s) – for
contact information see
Notification Call List
Activate Notification Call List to
Thomas Johnson/Lee Jerrum
alert Responders and other
teammates that need to be
mobilized to assist with assessing
the effects of the event before
declaring a disaster.
Notification Call List
Team or Individual
Owner/Back-up
Thomas Johnson/Lee Jerrum
Assess Disruption
Subtask Name
Description
Assess severity of situation
Engage CRE or Facilities
Management as needed
Provide high level information
Thomas Johnson/Lee Jerrum
on how long-term outages would
be managed (i.e. relocate staff to
alternate site)
Coordinate command post
Thomas Johnson/Lee Jerrum
amongst all impacted business
units.
Long-term outage
Set-up command post
Team or Individual
Owner/Back-up
Thomas Johnson/Bob Hogan
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Activate the Business Continuity Plan
Subtask Name
Description
Declare disaster and activate
BCP
Decision is made to declare
disaster to activate the BCP
when appropriate
Outline process for utilizing
alternate work sites
Identify any equipment needing
to be replaced or procured to
conduct function during
recovery
Identify special access needs for
work sites, systems and or
applications
Identify vial records or paper
files required to conduct the
business function
Set-up alternate work sites
Equipment needs
Special access needs
Vital records or files
Team or Individual
Owner/Back-up
Thomas Johnson/Bob Hogan
Thomas Johnson/Lee Jerrum
Lee Jerrum/Don Casadonte
Lee Jerrum/Don Casadonte
Lee Jerrum/Thomas Johnson
Manage and Restore: Manage event to closure and return to BAU
Subtask Name
Description
Lead team
Act as team leader for business unit
and Senior Management team;
escalates issues to Senior Managers as
appropriate
Provides regular reports on recovery
status to appropriate groups (i.e. Sr.
Leaders, business partners, etc)
Tracks actual progress/completion of
recovery activities against the
projected sequence of recovery events
as appropriate
Oversees recovery logistics, travel,
meals, and communications as
appropriate
Approves expenditures relating to
recovery process
Submit the final disaster assessment
reports and actions plans to Senior
Management team
Monitor recovery process
Track progress
Oversees recovery
activities
Approves recovery
expense(s)
Submit final reports
Team or Individual
Owner/Back-up
Thomas Johnson/Bob Hogan
Lee Jerrum/Don Casadonte
Lee Jerrum/Don Casadonte
Don Casadonte/Ron Lankford
Bob Hogan/Thomas Johnson
Thomas Johnson/Don Casadonte
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Team Positions and People
Bob Hogan, President & Director CertusSecurities, Inc.
704-973-3921o
980-613-0171c
Thomas Johnson, CCO, Director CertusSecurities, Inc.
404-262-9283o
678-362-5422c
Lee Jerrum , DOO
CertusSecurities, Inc.
678-274-1685o
404-313-8162c
Don Casadonte
CertusBank, NA
704-973-3977o
864-608-0309c
Ron Lankford
Contractor
678-748-4583o
404-989-5164c
Notification Call List:
CertusSecurities, Inc. Emergency Contact Persons
CertusSecurities Inc.’s two emergency contact persons listed on the FINRA Contact System are Thomas
Johnson, 404-262-9283 or 800-749-0752, thomas.johnson@sagesoutheastern.com and Ronald Lankford,
678-748-4583 or 800-749-0752, ron.lankford@sagesoutheastern.com. This information will be updated
in the event of a material change and our Executive Representative will review the contact information
within 17 business days of the end of each year.
CertusSecurities, Inc. Call Tree: CertusSecurities, Inc. now communicates with our employees
using the telephone, e-mail and in person. In the event of an SBD, we will assess which means of
communication are still available to us and use the means closest in speed and form (written or oral) to
the means that we have used in the past to communicate with the other party. We will also employ a
call tree so that senior management can reach all employees quickly during an SBD. The call tree
includes all staff home and office phone numbers. We have identified persons who live near each other
and may reach each other in person.
Thomas Johnson III or Robert Hogan will invoke the use of the call tree.
CALLER
Thomas Johnson
RECIPIENT
Status
OFFICE
-----------------
CertusSecurities
Employee
404-262-9283
Richard Thayer
Independent (Reliance)
404-965-7276
Ronald Lankford
Contractor
678-748-4583
HOME
770-671-1151
-
CELL
678-362-5422
404-213-3154
404-989-5164
CertusSecurities, Inc.
Page 18
Lee Jerrum
Lee Jerrum
CertusSecurities
Employee
678-274-1685
Teri DiSilvetsro
CertusSecurities
Employee
678.748.4522
307-760-8044
307-760-8044
Robert Hogan
Dual Employee
704-973-3921
704-895-0270
980-613-0171
Adam Bear
Dual Employee
704-973-3932
-
704-280-9336
Don Casadonte
Contractor
704-973-3977
-
864-608-0309
Kelly Shook
CertusWealth
Employee
704-973-3970
-
828-244-2456
Randall Royther
Dual Employee
704-973-3893
-
Janet Kahl
Blue Ridge Employee
704-973-3917
-
Kyle Weeks
Contractor (SMC)
404-841-1010
Curtis Weeks
Contractor (SMC)
404-841-1010
-
-
Mike Burke
Contractor (NFS)
617-563-9211
-
617-320-2447
-
404-313-8162
980-613-1375
404-449-6363
Contractor (NFS)
Richard Thayer
Victor Wilkerson
Independent
(Advocacy)
678-274-1756
-
404-713-8507
Anthony Hosfeld
Independent
(Advocacy)
678-274-1768
-
678-938-7239
John Beckett
Independent (Reliance)
304-324-3348
-
304-320-8214
Frank Boccia
Independent (Reliance)
770-543-0439
-
678-644-4404
Nicholas Cotter
Independent (Reliance)
678-748-4608
-
404-808-5824
Rosemary Crowley
Independent (Reliance)
302-246-5403
-
404-852-9367
Andrew Davis
Independent (Reliance)
678-748-4520
-
770-853-9162
Karen Howard
Independent (Reliance)
302-246-5401
-
215-840-1050
Julie Johnson
Independent (Reliance)
304-324-3348
-
Raymond Layman
Independent (Reliance)
678-641-1355
-
770 565 7171
CertusSecurities, Inc.
Page 19
Susan Lockwood
Independent (Reliance)
864-226-1942
-
864-940-8753
Andrew Mallory
Independent (Reliance)
404-965-7265
-
-
Timothy Morbach
Independent (Reliance)
734-335-7452
-
734-718-8718
Larry Ocallaghan
Independent (Reliance)
805-686-1964
-
805-686-1964
Robert Price
Independent (Reliance)
678-274-1615
-
610-812-0480
Edward Shaw
Independent (Reliance)
678-935-0021
-
404-372-8490
Jeffery Willis
Independent (Reliance)
404-553-2371
-
404-433-6355
Angela Wommack
Independent (Reliance)
404-965-7305
-
Rob Keller
Independent (Reliance)
770-919-0334
-
404-731-0809
CertusSecurities, Inc.’s Alternate Communications between the Firm and
Customers, Regulators
Customers
We currently communicate with our customers using the telephone, e-mail, facsimile, U.S. mail and in
person visits at our branches or at the other’s location. CertusSecurities Inc. does not maintain a
website. In the event of an SBD, we will assess which means of communication are still available to us
and use the means closest in speed and form (written or oral) to the means that we have used in the
past to communicate with the other party. For example, if we have traditionally communicated with a
party by e-mail but the Internet is unavailable, we will call them on the telephone and follow up where a
record is needed with paper copy in the U.S. mail. Clients can request to view their brokerage accounts
on-line (view only).
National Financial Services, Michael Burke (and team). : 617-320-2447
SMARSH, Aurthur Viera: 866-762-7741
Reliance Financial Corporation, Eric VanRiper: 678-274-1796w, 770-680-0566c
Securities Back Office Solutions Inc. (SBOS), Chris Guerin: 770-578-0287
Global Relay Communications, Inc., Chris Ford: 604.484.6630
Regulators
CertusSecurities Inc. is currently a member of the following Self- Regulatory Organizations (SROs):
FINRA, SEC and MSRB. We communicate with our regulators using the telephone, e-mail, fax, U.S. mail,
and in person. In the event of an SBD, we will assess which means of communication are still available
CertusSecurities, Inc.
Page 20
to us, and use the means closest in speed and form (written or oral) to the means that we have used in
the past to communicate with the other party.
Regulatory Reporting
Our firm is subject to regulation by the following Self-Regulatory Organizations (SROs):
FINRA
SEC
MSRB
We now file reports with our regulators using paper copies in the U.S. mail, and electronically using fax,
e-mail, and the Internet. In the event of an SBD, we will check with the SEC, FINRA and other regulators
to determine which means of filing are still available to us and use the means closest in speed and form
(written or oral) to our previous filing method. In the event that we cannot contact our regulators, we
will continue to file required reports using the communication means available.
CertusSecurities, Inc.
Page 21
Appendix A - Incident Checklist - default list of notification steps provided.
Identify
ownership and/or modify as needed.
No.
Task
1
2
3
4
Call local authorities and/or 911
Initiate evacuation procedures
Evacuate the premises, if appropriate
Assemble at pre-designated assembly site for the postevacuation head count and account for all employees;
ensure that the business unit has updated home
telephone listings for all employees.
Notify building management (if appropriate)
Call corporate Security
Notify the business unit manager
Alert recovery site
Assess severity of situation
If the situation is obviously long-term, advise
employees not required for the initial recovery effort
that they will receive further instruction at a later time.
Initiate call tree (if appropriate)
Notify the recovery team leaders
Convene the recovery team
The recovery team leaders will meet to assess the
situation, discuss options, and make decisions.
Recovery team leaders together with their senior
managers will decide if it is necessary to declare a
disaster and activate the recovery plan.
Declare disaster and activate the business continuity
plan.
As appropriate, notify recovery site or cancel the “alert”
status.
Set up command center
Recovery team leaders and designated teammates set
up command post to monitor activities.
Make travel arrangements as needed
Notify business unit teammates of disaster status,
telephone number and location of the command post,
and any action required by the teammates.
The recovery team leaders or designated teammates
will notify key clients and departments of the disaster
and any changes in procedures. Example notification
script: “Due to (name of event) on (date), the (name of
the business unit) will be unavailable for (name period
5
6
7
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
Responsibility
Date/Time
Completed
CertusSecurities, Inc.
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24
25
of time or date, if known). For further assistance please
call (contact name & number)”
The recovery team leaders or designated teammates
will notify critical vendors of the disaster and any
changes in procedures that may result.
The CEO is responsible for all public statements
regarding emergencies and disasters, and the recovery
efforts of the Bank.
CertusSecurities, Inc.
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Appendix B – Expense Log
Business Unit Manager:
Business Unit Location:
G/L Number:
Date
Item
Vendor
Cost
Approved By
Purpose/Comments
CertusSecurities, Inc.
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Appendix C – Emergency Reference Information
Hurricane Safety Tips (1 of 2)
PREPARE A PERSONAL EVACUATION PLAN
• Identify ahead of time where you could go if you are told to
evacuate. Choose several places –a friend’s home in another
town, a motel or a shelter. Consider advising your manager as
to your evacuation plans.
• Keep handy the telephone numbers of these places as well as
a road map of your locality.
• You may need to take alternative or unfamiliar routes if major
roads are closed or clogged.
• Listen to NOAA Weather Radio or local radio or TV stations for
evacuation instructions. If advised to evacuate, do so
immediately.
TAKE THESE ITEMS WITH YOU WHEN EVACUATING:
 Prescription medications and medical supplies;
 Bedding and clothing, including sleeping bags and pillows
 Bottled water, battery-operated radio and extra batteries, first
aid kit, flashlight
 Car keys and maps
 Documents, including driver’s license, Social Security card,
proof of residence, insurance policies, wills, deeds, birth and
marriage certificates, tax records, etc.
 First aid kit and essential medications
 Canned food and can opener.
 At least three gallons of water per person.
 Protective clothing, rainwear, and bedding or sleeping bags.
 Battery-powered radio, flashlights and extra batteries
 Special items for infants, elderly, or disabled family members.
 Written instructions on how to turn off electricity, gas and
CertusSecurities,
Inc. advise you to do so. (Remember, you’ll
water if authorities
need a professional to turn them back on.)
Your safety matters. Tip Sheet
KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN A HURRICANE WATCH IS ISSUED
• Listen to NOAA Weather Radio or local radio or TV stations for
up-to-date storm information.
• Prepare to bring inside any outdoor furniture, decorations or
anything that could be picked up by the wind and create a
missile.
• Prepare to cover all windows of your home. If shutters have not
been installed, use precut plywood as described above. Note:
Tape does not prevent windows from breaking, so taping
windows is not recommended.
• Fill your car’s gas tank.
• Recheck manufactured home tie-downs.
• Check batteries and stock up on canned food, first aid supplies,
drinking water and medications.
• Clear clogged rain gutters. Hurricanes/tropical storms often
bring torrential rain. Providing clear drainage will help prevent
misdirected flooding.
• Make sure storage sheds, children’s playhouses or other
outbuildings are securely anchored, either to a permanent
foundation or with straps and ground anchors.
• Elevate articles in your basement that could be damaged from
even minor flooding.
• Have a certain amount of cash available. If power is lost, ATMs
may not be working.
• Make a record of your personal property. Keep an itemized list
of your furniture, clothing and valuables to assist adjusters in
case of a claim. Back it up with photographs or video.
• Protect your insurance policies and other important documents
in a secure place like a safe deposit box or a watertight box.
Page 25
Many people back up important documents online.
• Learn where gas pilots and water mains are located and how to
safely shut off all utilities.
Hurricane Safety Tips (2 of 2)
Your safety matters. Tip Sheet
PREPARE FOR HIGH WINDS
• Install hurricane shutters or purchase precut ½” outdoor plywood boards for each window on your home. Install anchors for the plywood and
predrilled holes in the plywood so that you can put it up quickly.
• Make trees more wind resistant by removing diseased and damaged limbs, then strategically removing branches so that wind can blow
through.
• Lock doors and windows to ensure that they are closed tight to help protect against strong winds and rain.
KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN A HURRICANE WARNING IS ISSUED
• Listen to the advice of local officials and leave if they tell you to do so.
• Complete preparation activities.
• If you are not advised to evacuate, stay indoors, away from windows.
• Be aware that the calm “eye” is deceptive; the storm is not over. The worst part of the storm will happen once the eye passes over and the
winds blow from the opposite direction. Trees, shrubs, buildings, and other objects damaged by the first winds can be broken or destroyed by
the second winds.
• Be alert for tornadoes. Tornadoes can happen during a hurricane and after it passes over. Remain indoors, in the center of your home, in a
closet or bathroom without windows.
• Stay away from flood waters. If you come upon a flooded road, turn around and go another way. If you are caught on a flooded road and
waters are rising rapidly around you, get out of the car and climb to higher ground.
KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN A HURRICANE IS OVER
• Keep listening to NOAA Weather Radio or local radio or TV stations for instructions.
• If you evacuated, return home when local officials tell you it is safe to do so
• Inspect your home for damage.
• Use flashlights in the dark; do not use candles.
• (The above information is provided by Hurricane Awareness www.redcross.org)
OUTSIDE RESOURCES AND BANK RESOURCES
• Reference Disaster Resource Tip Sheet
CertusSecurities, Inc.
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Disaster Resources (1 of 2)
BACKGROUND
The hurricane season officially begins June 1 and ends November
30. Plan now in case you and your family need to take action as
severe weather approaches.
CREATE AN EMERGENCY PLAN FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
This should include an out-of-town contact that your family can
report your status and immediate needs.
If local authorities order you to evacuate your area make
arrangements now regarding where you will go and what you will
need (e.g., cash, transportation, clothing, medicine).
Remember that many public emergency shelters will not permit
family pets to be housed there; include your pets in your
emergency plan.
If you care for an elderly family member, make sure you plan for
their specific medical or mobility needs.
At work, ensure you are familiar with your business unit’s
Business Continuity Plan. You should know how to reach your
manager to report your status and to obtain information as to
your business unit operational status.
Your safety matters. Tip Sheet
Call Trees
CertusBank wants to know that you are safe! Your manager is the
first and most desirable point of contact following a disaster.
Should you or your family need assistance to get through a crisis, the
following provides the help that is available through outside
agencies.
CertusSecurities, Inc.
Page 27
Disaster Resources (2 of 2)
Your safety matters. Tip Sheet
EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
External relief organizations such as the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and United Way specialize in providing immediate short-term relief
to people in times of disaster including food, clothing, housing, etc. These organizations have a vast array of resources available to them due their
specialized nature. They can also work with individuals or families to determine the best short-term and long-term plans to overcome the disaster
that has just occurred based on each individual’s or family’s circumstances. If relief organizations cannot meet your needs, Human Resources
may be able to help if resources within the community have been exhausted.
THE AMERICAN RED CROSSwww.redcross.org 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767) or 1-800-257-7575 (Español)
Provides free food, shelter, clothing and other resources to people in need. The Red Cross is generally the first community group to establish
operations following a disaster.
NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTERwww.nhc.noaa.gov
The National Hurricane Center issues the official advisories on hurricanes and tropical storms four times each day during hurricane season. The
agency’s web site also provides information on preparedness activities that you and your family can initiate to stay safe during a storm, as well as
general information on the characteristics of hurricanes.
ACCUWEATHER www.accuweather.com/news.asp
AccuWeather, established in 1962, is the World's Weather Authority which provides local forecasts for everywhere in the United States and over
two million locations worldwide.
FEMA (FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY) www.fema.gov1.800.621.FEMA (1.800.621.3362) or (1.800.462.7585 (TTY) for people
with speech or hearing disabilities. An agency of the federal government whose objective is to reduce loss of life and property and protect our
nation’s critical infrastructure from all types of hazards through a comprehensive, risk-based emergency management program of mitigation,
preparedness, response and recovery. FEMA also provides assistance for families and businesses impacted by disasters and emergencies.
THE SALVATION ARMYwww.salvationarmyusa.org
An organization providing a helping hand to anyone in need. Visit the Salvation Army web site to locate an office near you.
COMMUNITY SHELTERS
Provides a bed and food to families and individuals displaced by disasters. Check your local yellow pages under “shelters” and check local city
government offices to identify shelter locations.
CertusSecurities, Inc.
Page 28
Power Outage Tips (1 of 2)
PREPARATION
• Purchase items for your home, office and car including: flashlights,
batteries, AM/FM battery powered radio, rechargeable power failure
lights, wind up or battery alarm clock, and light-sticks.
• Have a 72-hour emergency kit for each family member.
• Keep cash and change on hand. In power failures ATMs may not work
nor will credit cards.
• Phones with answering machines and cordless phones are power
dependent. Have at least one phone that does not require power in
case you need to call 9-1-1. Keep your cell phone powered up.
• Familiarize yourself with your electrical panel in your home. You may
have to turn off the main breaker or have to reset circuit breakers
after an outage.
• If you use your fireplace for heat, be responsible! Don’t burn wood
with paint or stain. Do not leave an open flame. Make sure you close
your fireplace screen to prevent sparks from flying. Do not store
newspapers, kindling, or matches near the fireplace
• Discourage the use of candles for lighting but if you must, place them
on a fire proof surface.
• Make sure you have smoke detectors in appropriate rooms. Change
the batteries regularly, preferably every 6 months, and test them
monthly. If your smoke detectors are wired directly into the electrical
system of your home they will not operate during a power failure
unless the batteries are working. Special smoke detectors are
available for people with hearing impairment.
• During the power outage, unplug all small appliances and electronics
to avoid damage from power surge. Leave one low wattage
incandescent light on so you know when the power comes back on.
• When power comes back on you may have to reset your clocks, VCRs,
microwave ovens, programmable thermostats, burglar and fire
alarms.
• Plan ahead and know where you can purchase dry ice or block ice.
Your safety matters. Tip Sheet
SECURITY ISSUES
• Have a plan for checking on and reuniting family members.
• Stay home and be safe during a power outage. Stores and gas
stations may be closed.
• During an area-wide power outage, traffic signals may be out. If so,
remember the intersection becomes a 4-way Stop.
• Watch for suspicious activity. Criminals may decide to take advantage
of the power outage. Always call 9-1-1 if you notice suspicious
activity.
FOOD SAFETY
• If you have a home freezer, resist opening the door unless necessary.
Frozen food will stay frozen longer if the freezer door remains closed.
• A full freezer will maintain cold for up to 48 hours, but only 24 hours
when half full.
• Many foods require refrigeration. Use caution consuming these foods
that have not been maintained at temperatures below 40 degrees in
excess of a few hours.
IN THE WORKPLACE
• If Building Management deems the building safe, the Line of Business
manager should decide to continue or discontinue business as usual
for comfort reasons.
• Building Management may require an evacuation due to local codes.
• If the power outage creates an inability to fight a fire or allow for a
safe evacuation, the building may be shut down by the local Fire
Department.
CertusSecurities, Inc.
Page 29
Power Outage Tips (2 of 2)
Your safety matters. Tip Sheet
HEALTH ISSUES
• Focus on children’s needs. Provide flashlights or light sticks for each child that they can keep by their bed and in their backpacks. Discuss
living without electricity and how the outage is usually short term.
• Elderly people and people with disabilities who are on power-dependent medical devices should arrange for back –up power with their
vendors. Power-dependent devices include: medication pumps connected to IV, including pain control, anti-arrhythmia and chemotherapy;
dialysis machines; home ventilators; and backup oxygen tanks.
• People who are medically dependent on electricity may need portable generators. Safely store fuel only in approved containers, outside,
never in garages. Operate generators only outside, ensuring that exhaust will not enter the home through vents or windows. Plug appliances
directly into the generator using heavy-duty extension cords. NEVER attach generators to the facility current.
• Re-fueling of small home type gasoline generators should never be performed while the unit is running. Gasoline vapors are highly flammable
and can ignite easily from the heat of the motor.
• All hospitals are required to have backup power. Medically dependent persons without adequate back-up power can call 911 for transport to
a hospital where power can be supplied until the outage is over.
• Have a first aid kit in your home, office, and car. Take first aid and CPR training.
• Sewer pump stations have limited storage capacity. Limit all water usage, and avoid flushing your toilet during a power outage.
• Be a good neighbor and check on any neighbors with special needs: elderly people, people with disabilities, and children who are home alone
during a power outage. They may need your help.
CertusSecurities, Inc.
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Thunderstorms and Lightning Safety Tips (1 of 2)
THUNDERSTORMS –KNOW THE DANGERS
• It's estimated that at any given moment nearly 2,000 thunderstorms
are in progress over the earth's surface and that lightning strikes the
Earth 100 times each second. Around the world it is estimated that
there are about 45,000 thunderstorms daily; that’s 16 million
annually. Across the United States, there are at least 100,000
thunderstorms each year.
• A thunderstorm is a storm containing lightning caused by unstable
atmospheric conditions. When cold upper air sinks and warm moist
air rises, storm clouds or “thunderheads” develop. Thunderstorms
may occur singly, in clusters, or in lines. Thus, it is possible for several
thunderstorms to affect one location over the course of a few hours.
Some of the most severe weather occurs when a single thunderstorm
affects one location for an extended period of time.
• Severe thunderstorms can bring heavy rains (which can cause flash
flooding), strong winds, hail, lightning and tornadoes.
• Every thunderstorm produces lightning –and it can strike as much as
10 to 15 miles beyond the rain area. Thunder is the sound produced
by explosive expansion of air heated by a lightning stroke.
• The #1 thunderstorm hazard is flash flooding, causing nearly 140
fatalities each year.
WATCHES AND WARNINGS
• A thunderstorm watch means a thunderstorm is possible for your
area; a thunderstorm warning means a thunderstorm has been
sighted in your area.
HOW FAR AWAY IS LIGHTNING - You can estimate how far away a
thunderstorm is from you.
1. When you see the lighting, begin to count the seconds until you hear
the thunder.
2. Divide this number by 5. The number you get is the approximate
distance of the lightning in miles.
Your safety matters. Tip Sheet
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
It’s safest to be indoors during a thunderstorm; if
caught in one outdoors, seek shelter quickly or, if
necessary, get inside a hardtop car and keep the
windows closed.
WHEN INDOORS
1. Secure outdoor furniture, trash cans, anything
that could blow away or cause damage.
2. Stay away from open doors or windows or
close windows and shutters securely.
3. Do not handle/use any electrical equipment,
telephones or television. Lightning can hit
power and telephone lines, sending electricity
through the wires into your home. It is
recommended that you unplug the TV and
computers.
4. Avoid bathtubs, water faucets, and sinks.
Metal pipes can transmit electricity.
CertusSecurities, Inc.
Page 31
Thunderstorms and Lightning Safety Tips (2 of 2)
WHEN OUTDOORS
1. It is a myth that lightning will strike the tallest object. Lightning will
strike the nearest electricity, and that may be you.
2. Try to get into a building or a car.
3. If you are in the woods or near trees, find an area protected by a low
cluster of trees. Never stand underneath a lone, large tree.
4. In the open, get as low a place as possible –in a ravine or beneath an
underpass. At the same time, stay aware that low-lying areas may
flood quickly.
5. Crouch with feet together and hands on knees if in an open field
during a lightning storm. You want to minimize your exposed surface
area.
6. Do not lie flat on the ground (too much surface area). Avoid tall
structures, such as towers, fences, telephone and power line poles.
7. Remove all metal objects from yourself.
8. Stay away from natural lightning rods, such as flag poles, metal
fences, golf clubs and carts, fishing rods, metal baseball bats, bicycles,
motorcycles and camping equipment, anything that can conduct
electricity (i.e. metal or water).
9. Get out and away from lakes, rivers, pools and other bodies of water.
Water conducts electricity.
Your safety matters. Tip Sheet
WHEN IN A CAR
1. Stay in the car. A car is one of the safest
places to be during a lightning storm.
2. Pull slowly onto the shoulder of the road,
away from any trees or power lines that could
fall on your vehicle.
3. Turn on the emergency flashing lights until
the heavy rains subside and it is safe to
resume your trip.
IF SOMEONE IS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING
• People struck by lightning carry no electrical
charge and can be handled safely.
• Call for help. Get someone to dial 9-1-1.
• The injured person has received an electrical
shock and may be burned both where the
electricity entered and exited their body.
Check for burns in both places. Being struck
by lightning can also cause nervous system
damage, broken bones, and loss of hearing or
eyesight.
• Give first aid. If breathing has stopped, begin
rescue breathing. If the heart has stopped
beating, a trained person should give CPR. If
the person has a pulse and is breathing, look
and care for other possible injuries.
CertusSecurities, Inc.
Page 32
Explosion Safety Procedures
Your safety matters. Tip Sheet
A sudden blast may be attributed to various causes. In addition to flying debris, the first thing that occurs in any explosion is that it
generates a tremendous amount of dust.
1. Call 911.
2. Provide the operator with the location of the explosion, suspected cause, degree of damage, and whether or not to suspect any fires or
injured persons.
3. Is there a chemical odor?
4. Do not hang up the telephone until released by the 911 operator.
5. Evacuate the immediate area and shut all doors.
6. Assign an officer or employee to wait at the elevator lobby to direct the responding emergency personnel.
7. Evacuate the area per established evacuation routes shown on posted floor plan.
8. Notify emergency response such as law enforcement or fire department.
Earthquake Safety Procedures
During an Earthquake
1. Stay inside the building. There are generally more hazards in the streets.
2. Move quickly away from windows, temporary walls, bookcases, hanging light fixtures, or anything else that could fall
3. Duck under a sturdy desk or similar piece of furniture, or brace the body against a permanent wall or under a permanent doorway.
After an Earthquake
9. Stay where you are until the first aftershock subsides.
10. Before leaving shelter, look all around the area to make sure there is no danger of falling materials.
11. Listen for instructions from any emergency services.
12. Check for small fires that may have started, and try to extinguish them if this can be completed safely.
13. Check for injured or trapped people, and inform the Management Resumption Team so they may be assisted.
14. If possible, clean up spilled flammable liquids (such as cleaning solvents).
15. Avoid touching electrical wires and equipment until utilities have been checked.
16. Avoid smoking or using matches or lighters as there may be gas leaks present.
17. Restrict telephone use to emergencies only
CertusSecurities, Inc.
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