Pandemic and Flu Planning
     
   
 
   

Your Department Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) for
Pandemic Influenza

  
   

 
Planning for an event sometime in the future is often difficult to justify, particularly when resources are limited and more urgent problems and priorities require our attention. The importance of conducting contingency planning now is based on the fact that experts believe there is a growing threat of a world-wide pandemic; unfortunately, there is much uncertainty as to when it might occur or what the severity will be. In addition to the threat that a pandemic could pose to human health world-wide, few business operations will be insulated from the economic effects resulting from absenteeism in the workplace or from the effects stemming from supply-chain and travel disruption.  As with any of the risks that we face as a country -- including natural and human-caused disasters -- it is imperative that all segments of society be prepared.  Kutztown University’s Pandemic Influenza Assessment Team is encouraging campus preparedness for an influenza pandemic at the division/department organizational unit level.

It is our belief that, should a pandemic situation occur, a carefully thought-out plan will position your organizational unit with:

  • a faster, more efficient response;
  • reduced impact on your department mission and business operations;
  • greater confidence in the viability of its plan;
  • improved ability to keep people and information connected during a regional or global outbreak; and
  • better employee understanding of the organization’s response plan as well as their respective roles in maintaining business continuity.

Individual department COOPs are invaluable and will identify essential functions along with key dependencies—both internal and external – as well as mitigation strategies and recovery plans. 

Members of the PI Assessment Team are available to answer questions about drafting your Plan; if you would like assistance in developing your COOP contact the PI Assessment Team at fluplan@kutztown.edu.  Upon submission of your plan via the web, a copy of the file will be sent to the head of operations listed at the top of your plan for their review and approval.  Please complete your plan and submit it to the University’s COOP Coordinator (Office of Environmental Health and Safety) at helms@kutztown.edu by December 15, 2007.

Pandemic influenza planning is the first in a series of University emergency planning efforts. Your Continuity of Operations Plan for Pandemic Influenza will facilitate development of future plans beyond a pandemic. 

How detailed should I make my department’s plan?

 Each University division, department or organizational unit is encouraged to develop a Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP). Your COOP should include adequate detail so that all employees understand their duties and responsibilities during a pandemic event or any emergency event.  It is suggested that each divisional Continuity of Operations Plan be developed to the following level:

 

 

Note: Not all departments may require this depth of planning; your plan may be sufficient at the Dean, Assistant Vice President or Department Director level.

 To start your Continuity of Operations Planning process click “COOP”.

 Who Should Be Designated as a Public Health Essential Employee?

 A Public Health Essential Employee can be expected to perform a function that is absolutely essential to the continuation of core university operations during a multi-week public health emergency when classes and most other university activities are suspended.

 Your list of Public Health Essential Employees should be conservative since these employees will be required to report to work (or otherwise satisfactorily fulfill their responsibilities) during a public health emergency. There may be costs associated with designating employees as Essential since different compensation rules may apply during a public health emergency. As you make this determination, consider the possibility that some Essential Employees will themselves become ill and that you will need to identify backup employees. 

 Designating Your Public Health Essential Employees

 Some KU departments have employees who are appropriate for identification as “Public Health Essential Employees.”  Utilizing the “Public Health Essential Employees” form designed for this information, please list those employees that you deem to be essential and forward it to your next level of management for approval. Your department head should submit the form to Human Resources at 109 Stratton Administration.  After your list has been reviewed and approved, Human Resources may contact you with additional information to assist you in notifying the affected employees.

You will identify essential functions in your Pandemic Influenza Continuity of Operations Plan. Consider those functions and use the following guidelines to determine which employees should be designated as Public Health Essential Employees:

• Employees whose duties involve direct patient care or the welfare or safety of students, faculty staff;

• Employees whose duties include the maintenance or operation of University systems, networks or infrastructure critical to the ability to meet essential patient, student and employee needs during a public health emergency;

• Employees whose duties are essential to avoid jeopardy to critical university-sponsored research activities.

 Examples of Public Health Essential Employees are given below.

 Note: Some of your Public Health Essential Employees may have already been designated as Essential Employees for purposes such as adverse weather. To separately identify those employees that are essential in a public health emergency, we are creating a new designation - Public Health Essential Employees.  All employees who are currently designated as Essential Employees should be designated as “Adverse Weather Essential Employees.” If those employees are also designated as Public Health Essential Employees, please include them on the form you submit to your management level and Human Resources.

 Examples of Public Health Essential Employees

Employees whose duties involve direct patient care or the welfare or safety of students, faculty or staff:

• Doctors

• Nurses

• Clinic receptionists

• Public Safety officers

• Environmental, Health and Safety staff

Employees whose duties include the maintenance or operation of University systems, networks or infrastructure critical to the ability to meet essential student, employee or patient needs during a public health emergency.

• Payroll and benefits staff

·   Purchasing, accounts payable or accounts receivable.

• Network administrators for critical functions

• Computer support for critical patient information systems, notification processes, etc.

• HVAC technicians working on air handling systems of patient care facilities

• Utility operations to maintain heat.

• Facilities staff, such as custodians and tradespersons working to maintain safe facilities.

 For More Information

We appreciate your cooperation in making these important plans. Although a pandemic may not occur in our lifetimes, this planning will help your department prepare for other emergencies. Please let us know if you have any questions by contacting the Pandemic Influenza Assessment Team at fluplan@kutztown.edu.