You are the court administrator and know that the location of the courthouse is prone to flooding during minor thunderstorms. It is inevitable that the building is going to flood and probably suffer extreme damage. Many of your court staff have been working extended hours to move as much equipment and material as possible from the first two floors of the courthouse to the third floor, but space and time are limited. Everything that can be done to prepare for the flood is being done, but what do you do once the flood is over? When will staff report to work and start the cleanup, and where will they begin? How long will it take before the courthouse is fully functioning once again? The scenario above is frightening. We prepare for accidents and would like to think that we could even prevent catastrophes from occurring. However, no individual can prepare for every hazard. For example, we can stock our pantries with nonperishable foods before a hurricane, but it is not until after the rain clears that we realize what we will need to survive for days, or even weeks, following the storm.
Disaster recovery and business continuity are not new concepts, but the tragedy of September 11th has brought them into sharper focus. Since then, recovery goals have broadened to include not only information technology issues but also legal requirements, file management, terrorism, and security. Being prepared for the worst is half the battle.
The best way to prepare for disasters is to be aware of all possible scenarios and to have realistic recovery guidelines. Court administrators must consider the minimum requirements for the courthouse to continue “business as usual” and protect those necessary job functions from all kinds of disasters. It is essential to involve the staff in the preparation of disaster recovery plans. This generates a variety of creative planning alternatives and can prevent panic or chaos within the workplace if disaster strikes during business hours.
