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Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)

Benton County Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)

COOP planning is the effort to ensure the continued performance of essential government functions during a disaster. The goal of Benton County’s Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) is to anticipate events and identify the necessary response actions for our community.

For example, if an essential function is usually performed by an employee who is injured during a disaster or otherwise prevented from completing their duty, how will that function be maintained? The COOP plan anticipates these types of questions.

Key elements of the Benton County COOP include:

  • Essential Functions. Identifies those tasks and activities that must be performed after a disruption of normal activities due to a disaster.
  • Orders of Succession. Identifies who steps into senior roles should a senior leader be incapacitated or unavailable during an emergency.
  • Delegations of Authority. Identifies, by position, the authority for making policy decisions; identifies what level of authority is permitted when normal channels of direction have been disrupted.
  • Continuity of Facilities. Identifies alternative locations where essential functions will be carried out if the primary facility is not available.

The Benton County COOP is built in an integrated computer system that is regularly updated. We can never anticipate everything that could happen during a disaster. But by developing, updating, and maintaining a Continuity of Operations Plan, Benton County is better prepared to maintain critical services should a disaster occur.

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