Insights / Emergency Planning

The Difference Between Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs) and Continuity of Operations Plans (COOPs)

By Warren Pulley

Organizations often say they “have a plan” and mean a binder written years ago. Two very different plans are needed, and confusing them leaves dangerous gaps.

The Emergency Operations Plan

An EOP covers what you do during an incident to protect people and stabilize the situation: who is in charge, how you communicate, how you evacuate or shelter, and how you coordinate with responders. FEMA’s Incident Command System (ICS) gives a common structure for that response.

The Continuity of Operations Plan

A COOP covers how you keep essential functions running and recover when facilities, systems, or people are unavailable for days or weeks. It identifies essential functions, succession and delegations of authority, alternate locations, vital records, and recovery priorities.

Why you need both

An EOP gets you through the first hours. A COOP gets you through the following weeks. A hurricane, a tsunami warning, an extended power outage, or a cyberattack will test both.

Make them real

• Assign owners and review dates for each plan.
• Exercise them with tabletop drills at least once a year.
• Update contact lists and succession lines whenever staff change.
• Plan for isolation. In an island state, outside help may take longer to arrive.

This general information is not legal advice.