NEW CUMBERLAND, Pennsylvania –
In keeping with the efforts to strengthen preparedness capabilities, the Continuity of Operations planners of Defense Logistics Agency Distribution recently took the Emergency Relocation Group to an alternate work site. Federal Continuity Directive 1, dated October 26, 2012, governs the COOP program, and training visits to alternate work sites are one of its annual requirements. It states there are four pillars of continuity capabilities: leadership, staff, communication and facilities.
Government agencies are required to have these sites in order to maintain operations during a continuity event. A continuity event can be anything from a fire that destroys part of a building, to a natural disaster, or the threat or occurrence of a terrorist attack. Any event that makes it impossible for employees to work in their regular facilities could result in the activation of the COOP plan.
The Emergency Relocation Group, made up of Distribution employees from six staff directorates, left New Cumberland, Pa., at 8:30 a.m. and traveled to the alternate site. Additionally, the DLA Distribution Expeditionary Team supported the COOPEX. This COOPEX gave participating personnel familiarity with procedures, travel routes, and facility and communications capabilities so that they are ready to maintain DLA Distribution’s Mission Essential Functions during an actual continuity event. Additionally, the exercise highlighted gaps and opportunities for the COOP planners that would not have been apparent without the deployment.
According to Scott Rosbaugh, director, Office of Future Plans, DLA Distribution, “When all nine Federal Emergency Management Agency training objectives were met at the end of the second day of the COOPEX, Brig. Gen. Dix called for ENDEX. The COOPEX planners are now conducting a survey of participants and will begin working to resolve issues and build on achievements for future exercises and continuity events.”