IT and Disaster Management

From Extension Collaborative Wiki

This is a work-in-progress.

Brief history: The initial document was created by Larry Lippke following the 2006 SR-PLN annual meeting. At the 2007 SR-PLN meeting, the IT Committee elected to pursue the creation of a "best practice" document related to disaster preparedness and information security.

Overarching resources that are critical to the success of disaster preparedness and recovery policies and procedures include financial support, human resources, time and energy, and support of the cooperating institution's administration. A framework of important topics to address in the best practice document include the following:

1. The unique positioning of the Cooperative Extension system in relation to disaster preparedness and recovery (DPR) and the public's expectation of Extension in terms of disaster management:

• Local, state, and regional DPR plan
• Communicating a DPR plan
• Liaison to local homeland security
• Data Collection efforts
  • Ag Biosecurity support; IT support for detection, reporting, response
  • Available shelters, crop losses, local issues
• People-to-people networking
• Pooling of redundant resources (fact sheets, infrastructure, etc.)
• Collaborative funding efforts

2. Important relationships:

• Service providers
  • Deliver on-line education programs to neighboring states in need
  • Publication support, phone support, multiple paths
  • satellite, mobile video, telecommunications resources
• software/hardware vendors
• Institutional and interstate infrastructure agreements
  • IT recovery plans
  • mirrors and backups
  • redundancy
  • failover
• State specific information evacuee information
• Standards development and adoption
• ADEC

3. Competencies required by agents and program specialists during a disaster:

• email
• knowing about and using internet technologies
• communications effectiveness in time of disaster
• basic IT competencies + disaster issues

4. Unique contributions from IT in the disaster mitigation, prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery phases:

• train Extension faculty/community leaders on how to access/use information technology in disaster response and recovery
• scenario driven practice
• electronic response/recovery procedures
• infrastructure support
  • Telecommunications
    • wireless phones
    • satellite internet access
    • mobile videoconferencing
    • Email
    • Instant Messaging
    • Providing public internet access in a disaster
    • Web-based delivery of information
• Networking

5. Imagine a scenario involving a disaster in your state. What were the educational materials, skills, and educational support needs experienced by agents and specialists?

• short "how to" articles
• how to find the "how to"
• print on demand
• regional disaster web site (EDEN)
  • dedicated people
  • reserve funds

6. Documents related to the SR-PLN IT Committee's project to create a best practice document in regards to disaster preparedness and information security:

• Safety and Continuity of Operations Planning(adapted from LSU AgCenter's document) (10 pages)
• Topics specific to IT Professionals:
  • "Disaster Recovery: Best Practices White Paper" from Cisco (7 pages)
  • "Practical Disaster Recovery Planning" from CA XOsoft (23 pages)

7. Additional links to related documents and information

• POW presentation (targeted for NETC08)
• LSU AgCenter Plan Template
• IT Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Tool-kit - National Association of State Chief Information Officers
• "The Role of Telecommunications and Information Technology in Disaster Preparedness" - article by Michael Murphy for Chicagoland Electronic Commerce Initiative
• US GAO Information Security Risk Assessment
• California County Information Services Directors Association, Information Security Program: Best Practices
• "Well Prepared" - article from Cisco
• "Disaster Recovery & Information Technology: Proactive Preparedness & Planning" - workshop materials from non-profits (Npower.org) organization
• "Examining Factors Associated with IT Disaster Preparedness" - presentation at IEEE conference
• "Roadmap to Recovery" - article in CIO Decisions