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When A Plan Comes Together
Using CAFM For Facility Business Continuity Planning (FBCP) In Government Facilities

By Carolyn Rickard-Brideau, AIA, NCARB

Over the past few years, the focus on security has become of paramount importance for any entity or agency. Planning and preparedness are the two key elements of any facility security plan. While it is impossible to anticipate every potential threat, a solid and thorough strategy can eliminate the need for all but the execution of that plan in time of crisis.

Certainly, with respect to national security, the risks to U.S. government facilities are even greater. Every government facility must be treated as a potential target, even those that would not immediately come to mind.

It is in this context that a Facility Business Continuity Plan (FBCP) should be created for each government facility. Overseen by the Department of Homeland Security, an accurate FBCP can help ensure strategic coordination, accuracy, and access by the appropriate departments to all critical facility information. A powerful tool in the organization of this information is CAFM software.

Computer Aided Facilities Management

CAFM is a system of processes and programs that links this information together to track assets associated with a particular facility. In the most effective applications, CAFM connects a Web delivered graphic interface with an integral database platform to convey almost any type of information for strategic or practical use.

If an object's information is entered into the database, the system can convey any and all information pertaining to the object sorted as the user desires. These associated attributes are linked with an object's specific location within a facility and can be accessed by simply selecting the object within a floor plan.

For instance, by choosing a piece of equipment in a room on a floor plan, database information such as its manufacturer, serial number, make, model, power needs, BTU output, last service date, and anticipated life cycle for replacement can be retrieved. This approach can also be applied to personnel associated within a department, all furniture and equipment assets, and technology information such as phone, LAN and WAN connections, and secured lines. Additionally it can be linked to HR software, if desired. Through this technology, government agencies will be able to provide emergency workers with access to formerly unrelated information.

Facility Business Continuity Planning

FBCP is a holistic approach that addresses issues of detection, preparedness, protection, prevention, emergency response, and disaster recovery for facilities.

An initial step in creating a FBCP is the range of possible security events at the facility. The degree of risk will vary by the nature of the target, location, accessibility, and other factors. Assessing and prioritizing risks will help identify potential weaknesses in existing security planning.

Risk assessment and prioritization can now be overlaid on the strategic planning process typically done in facilities planning implementation. Analysis of current space usage and efficiency, projected growth needs, vacant space, and other factors are used to create multiple scenarios when applied to security issues. The same processes used in implementing CAFM can be used to fold critical information into FBCP on tactical and strategic levels.

On a tactical level, these validations can identify the specific locations of personnel, hazardous materials, critical infrastructure, cabling, technology assets, and secure assets. They can be used to provide a basis for the physical security assessment of a facility and to identify appropriate locations for upgraded security measures, access control points, or other security features.

On a strategic level, these plans can be used to identify occupancy and vacancy in facilities for potential use during a shelter event or in the implementation of a migratory strategy, in the case of a catastrophic event. In the aftermath of a catastrophe, this information can be critical to rescue and recovery efforts. The sooner rescue teams can be deployed into a building after an event, the better.

How FBCP Works

Establishing a head count of known and missing personnel and their potential locations can allow rescue operations to target their efforts. Knowledge of locations of dangerous building features and hazardous materials will help rescue and recovery teams avoid them.

Having a database populated with all of this information, accessible by the agencies with appropriate clearances and permissions, would provide immeasurable benefit to the government and the individual facilities. Appropriate security access can be built into the system to ensure secure, controlled access through the use of biometric or other access controls.

An effective FBCP allows secure use by multiple agencies. It creates rapid, transparent access to accurate facilities information describing and locating physical features of buildings and their sites, personnel locations, critical infrastructure, and hazardous materials. It also accommodates typical day to day facilities management functions.

Tying Them Together

Considering the widespread use of CAFM systems, FBCP is the logical evolution in the use of this software. CAFM can underpin an organization's entire approach to data integrity and contingency and continuity planning. It can help determine the fundamental practices throughout an enterprise while addressing basic defense requirements to ensure its stability and continuity.

Current capabilities of facilities information technology can provide decision makers the data they need to plan for a wide variety of threats and facilitate better crisis management for natural disasters, terrorist attacks, sabotage, and other events.

However, accurate data is the heart of information technology and the foundation of any critical planning effort. It is imperative that strategic information assets are well maintained, accessible, and secure. The U.S. government has learned from recent events how critical this is to maintaining the security and ensuring the safety of its people.