PUBLIC HEALTH PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE
Putting COOP on the Table:
California Tests its Ability to Respond During Fires
By Samuel Abrams, MPH, PMP, specialist, Public Health Preparedness and Response
Public health laboratories (PHLs) are
well equipped to perform under normal
conditions, but an unexpected disaster
can inflict devastating damage, leaving
the facility inoperable or unsafe for work.
To prepare for the unexpected, PHLs
maintain a Continuity of Operations Plan
(COOP). Simply stated, these plans outline
specific procedures to maintain employee
safety while safeguarding patient testing.
While an updated COOP is key to PHL
preparedness, regularly training staff on
utilizing that plan is critical to ensure
proper execution when an emergency
occurs. Tabletop exercises provide a
valuable training method, allowing
participants to simulate an emergency
scenario in a collaborative, discussion-
based environment.
Using their respective laboratory’s
COOP, participants worked in small
groups to respond to a multi-stage
scenario that simulated power outages
affecting significant areas of northern
California and indefinite timelines for
power restoration. Individuals shared
opinions of what they thought was the
best course of action to protect their staff
and facility. The goal was to maintain
operations safely and only shut down if
necessary. Using the COOP as a reference
and collecting feedback from other
participants, the scientists navigated the
exercise to ensure that the California
laboratory system could meet vital
testing needs despite the closure of some
laboratories.
Although participants were able to
identify their laboratory’s critical testing
needs, some discovered that their
PublicHealthLabs
@APHL
Test, Train,
and Exercise
the Plan
Initiate
Continuity Planning
Process
COOP
Planning
Process
Design and
Build the Plan
In October 2019, APHL presented a COOP
tabletop exercise during the California
Association of Public Health Laboratory
Directors (CAPHLD) Annual Institute
to test CAPHLD laboratories’ response
to widespread power outages resulting
from wildfires—a scenario that areas of
California were encountering in real-time.
Prepping for Action
Distribute,
Maintain and
Update the Plan
Determine
Essential
Functions
Conduct a
Risk Analysis
COOP did not specify the personnel
necessary to carry out those operations
or categorize plans to provide testing
at alternative locations. Participants
discussed challenges such as notifying
laboratory staff of facility issues without
the use of modern communication
methods such as cell phones and internet.
Logistical issues with samples was a
major concern, for example, notifying
hospitals to ship patient specimens
to alternate facilities or redirect those
already en route. By the close of the
exercise, participants had gained a
better understanding of the components
of their laboratory’s COOP and were
primed to begin strengthening it.
A comprehensive COOP provides detailed
information on essential functions and
personnel, continuity of communications and
infrastructure, and minimizes disruptions to
laboratory operations. APHL and CDC have
developed several tools to assist laboratories
with developing and implementing a COOP:
CDC Lab Planning COOP Course: free training
tool for laboratory personnel
APHL Position Statement, Newborn Screening
Contingency Planning
APHL Guidelines for PHL COOP: guideline to
assist PHLs in developing a COOP
DIGITAL EXTRA:
APHL is collaborating with member
laboratories and CDC to revise the
association’s Guidelines for the Public
Health Laboratory Continuity of Operations
Plan. The new document will include
exercises and templates to assist with
testing and evaluating a COOP. For more
information on this project, please contact
Sam Abrams at [email protected].
The Value of Exercise
PHLs are encouraged to utilize tabletop
exercises as a method for ensuring their
staff are able to execute the details of
their COOP. Exercising COOP provides
a safe opportunity for individuals to
address gaps before disaster strikes. In
addition, regular review ensures that
critical components such as staff contact
information and essential testing needs
remain up to date. Laboratory COOP
requires a coordination of efforts among
various personnel in the laboratory, and
routine exercise is the most effective way
to ensure both facility and staff are well
prepared. n
APHL.org
Fall 2019 LAB MATTERS
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