| Activation: Once a continuity of operations plan has been implemented, whether in whole or in part, it is considered “activated.” |
| After-Action Report: Report that summarizes and analyzes performance in an exercise or actual event. The report for an exercise may also evaluate achievements of the exercise objectives and demonstration of the overall capabilities being exercised. |
| CAG: See Continuity Advisory Group. |
| CAP: See Corrective Action Program. |
| Check-In: The process whereby resources first report to an incident. |
| Concept of Operations: How an organization implements a plan or strategy. |
| Continuity Advisory Group (CAG): Coordination committee created by NSPD-51/HSPD-20 to serve as a single, integrated interagency body to address continuity issues and focus on implementation of continuity programs. |
| Continuity Facility: A location, other than the primary facility, that can be used to carry out essential functions in a continuity situation. |
| Continuity of Operations: An effort within individual agencies to ensure they can continue to perform their Mission Essential Functions (MEFs) and Primary Mission Essential Functions (PMEFs) during a wide range of emergencies, including localized acts of nature, accidents, and technological or attack-related emergencies. The legal basis for continuity of operations is Executive Order 12656, Assignment of Emergency Preparedness Responsibilities. |
| Continuity Plan: Consists of Executive Summary and four main sections: Part I Introduction, Part II Planning Basis, Part III Procedures for Plan Implementation, and Part IV Maintaining Continuity Readiness. |
| Continuity Program Management Cycle: An ongoing, cyclical model of planning, training, evaluating, and implementing corrective actions for continuity capabilities. |
| Corrective Action Program (CAP): A process implemented after incidents or exercises to assess, investigate, identify, and implement appropriate solutions to prevent repeating problems encountered. |
| Corrective Actions: Implementing procedures that are based on lessons learned from actual incidents or from training and exercises. |
| DHS: Department of Homeland Security |
| Delegation of Authority: Identification, by position, of the authorities for making policy determinations and decisions. The Delegation of Authority can include objectives, priorities, expectations, constraints, and other considerations or guidelines as needed. Generally, pre-determined delegations of authority take effect when normal channels of direction are disrupted and lapse when these channels are reestablished. |
| Devolution: The transfer and continuity of essential functions of an organization in the event a catastrophic emergency prevents performance of these functions by the primary personnel at the primary or continuity locations. |
| Devolution Plan: An extension of an agency’s concept of operations in the continuity plan to ensure continuity capability if continuity personnel are unable to perform the continuity mission or the continuity facility is unavailable to support it. |
| ERG: See Emergency Relocation Group. |
| Emergency Operating Records: Records that support the execution of an agency’s essential functions. |
| Emergency Relocation Group (ERG): Pre-designated staff who move to a relocation site to continue essential functions in the event their normal work locations are threatened or otherwise unavailable. |
| Essential Functions: Functions that enable agencies to provide vital service, exercise civil authorities, maintain the safety and well-being of the general populace, and sustain the industrial/economic base in an emergency. There are three categories of essential functions: NEFs, PMEFs, and MEFs. |
| Evaluation Plan: Provides guidance and instructions for the evaluation process of an exercise. |
| FCD: Federal Continuity Directive |
| FEB: See Federal Executive Board. |
| Federal: Of or pertaining to the Federal Government of the United States of America. |
| Federal Continuity Directive (FCD) 1: This directive provides direction to the Federal executive branch for developing continuity plans and programs. Continuity planning facilitates the performance of executive branch essential functions during all-hazards emergencies or other situations that may disrupt normal operations. |
| Federal Executive Board: A forum, established by Presidential Directive in 1961, for communication and collaboration among Federal agencies outside of Washington DC, utilized to help coordinate the field activities of Federal departments and agencies primarily in our Nation’s larger cities. |
| FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Agency |
| GSA: General Services Administration |
| Go Kit: Kit assembled by each employee and his/her family that includes personal items and necessities, copies of financial and legal documents, and name and phone number for out-of-area contact. An office go kit is a mobile response kit that allows personnel to maintain communications in the event that they are working outside of their normal place of operation. |
| HSPD: Homeland Security Presidential Directive |
| Homeland Security Presidential Directive 20 (HSPD-20): Dated May 9, 2007, this directive identifies National Essential Functions (NEFs) and forms the foundation for all continuity programs and capabilities. Same as NSPD-51. |
| Human Capital: The sum of talent, energy, knowledge, and enthusiasm that people invest in their work. |
| Incident: An occurrence or event, natural or human-caused, that requires an emergency response to protect life or property. |
| Lessons Learned: Knowledge gained through operational experience (actual events or exercises) that improve performance of others in the same discipline. |
| Local Government: A county, municipality, city, town, township, local public authority, school district, special district, intrastate district, council of governments (regardless of whether the council of governments is incorporated as a nonprofit corporation under State law), regional or interstate government entity, or agency or instrumentality of a local government; an Indian tribe or authorized tribal organization, or in Alaska a Native village or Alaska Regional Native Corporation; a rural community, unincorporated town or village, or other public entity. See Section 2 (10), Homeland Security Act of 2002, Public Law 107-296, 116 Stat. 2135 (2002). |
| MEF: See Mission Essential Function. |
| Mission Essential Function (MEF): A function that must be performed to support or implement the performance of a National, State, or tribal essential function before, during, and after an emergency. |
| National Essential Function (NEF): A function that represents the overarching responsibilities of the Executive Branch to lead and sustain the country and will generally be the primary focus of the President. The National Essential Functions are: Preserve our constitutional form of government. Provide visible leadership to the Nation; maintain the trust and confidence of the American people. Defend the country against all enemies, foreign or domestic, and prevent and interdict future attacks. Maintain and foster effective relationships with foreign nations. Protect against threats to the homeland and bring to justice perpetrators of crimes or attacks against the Nation, its citizens, or interests. Provide rapid and effective response to and recovery from the domestic consequences of an attack or other incident. Protect and stabilize the Nation’s economy; ensure confidence in financial systems. Provide for critical Federal Government services that address the national health, safety, and welfare needs of the Nation. |
| National Security Presidential Directive 51 (NSPD-51): Dated May 9, 2007, this directive identifies National Essential Functions (NEFs) and forms the foundation for all continuity programs and capabilities. Same as HSPD-20. |
| NEF: See National Essential Function. |
| NGO: See Nongovernmental organization. |
| Non-Federal: State, local, territorial, or tribal government entity. |
| Nongovernmental Organization (NGO): An entity with an association that is based on interests of its members, individuals, or institutions. It is not created by a government, but it may work cooperatively with government. Such organizations serve a public purpose, not a private benefit. Examples of NGOs include faith-based charity organizations and the American Red Cross. |
| NSPD: National Security Presidential Directive |
| Orders of Succession: Orders of Succession are provisions for the assumption of senior agency leadership positions during an emergency when the incumbents are unable or unavailable to execute their legal duties. |
| Outreach: An organized effort to extend services beyond usual limits. |
| PMEF: See Primary Mission Essential Function. |
| Preparedness: The range of deliberate, critical tasks and activities necessary to build, sustain, and improve the operational capability to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from domestic incidents. |
| Primary Mission Essential Function (PMEF): Department-specific mission essential functions that support the National Essential Functions (NEFs) and flow directly up from supporting activities or capabilities within department or agency continuity plans. |
| Reconstitution: The process by which surviving and/or replacement agency personnel resume normal agency operations from the original or replacement primary facility. |
| Regional Interagency Steering Committee (RISC): DHS/FEMA regional office council with interagency partners to develop coordinated operational plans focused on specific threats/risks within the regions. |
| Rights and Interests Records: Records that protect the legal and financial rights of the Government and the individuals affected by its activities. |
| RISC: See Regional Interagency Steering Committee. |
| State: When capitalized, refers to any State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any possession of the United States. See Section 2 (14), Homeland Security Act of 2002, Public Law 107-296, 116 Stat. 2135 (2002). |
| Telework: The ability to work at a location other than the official duty station, using portable computers, high-speed telecommunications links, and mobile communications devices. |
| Test, Training, and Exercise (TT&E): Measures to ensure that an agency's continuity program is capable of supporting the continued operation of its essential functions throughout the duration of a continuity situation. A TT&E program should be a blend of test, training, and exercise events to ensure it is comprehensive and reflects lessons learned from previous TT&E events or activations. |
| Tribal: Any Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, including any Alaskan Native Village as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaskan Native Claims Settlement Act (85 Stat. 688) (43 U.S.C.A. and 1601 et seq.), that is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians. |
| TT&E: See Test, Training, and Exercise. |
| Vital Records: Classified or sensitive data, which are necessary to perform essential functions and activities during a continuity situation and to reconstitute normal operations after the emergency ceases. The two basic categories of vital records are (1) emergency operating records and (2) legal and financial records. |
| Vital Records Program: Identifies and protects the records necessary to the continued operations of the agency and the legal and financial rights of the Government and citizens. |
| Vital Resources: Personnel, equipment, systems, infrastructures, supplies, and other assets required to perform an organization’s essential functions. |