Continuity of Operations Planning - Principles of Emergency Management - page 55

incapable of performing its legal and authorized duties, roles, and responsibilities.
The designation as a successor enables that individual to act for and exercise the
powers of a principal in the event of that principal's death, incapacity, or resigna-
tion. Orders of succession enable an orderly and predefined transition of leadership
within the organization. Orders of succession are an essential part of a continu-
ity plan and should reach to a sufficient depth and have sufficient breadth—at
least three positions deep and geographically dispersed where feasible—to ensure
that essential functions continue during the course of any emergency. An example
of how an organization's order of succession should be arranged is provided in
Table 3.3.
As a minimum, orders of succession should do the following:

◾

Establish an order of succession for leadership. There should be a designated
official available to serve as acting head until that official is appointed by
appropriate authority, replaced by the permanently appointed official, or
otherwise relieved.
− Geographical dispersion to include, if applicable, regional, field, or satel-
lite leadership in the line of succession, is encouraged and ensures roles
and responsibilities can transfer in all contingencies.
− Where a suitable field structure exists, appropriate personnel located out-
side of the subject region should be considered in the order of succession.

◾

Establish orders of succession for other key leadership positions, including
administrators, key managers, and other key mission essential personnel or
equivalent positions. Order of succession should also be established for devo-
lution counterparts in these positions.

◾

Describe orders of succession by positions or titles, rather than by the names
of the individuals holding those offices. To ensure their legal sufficiency,
coordinate the development of orders of succession with the general counsel
or other comparable legal authority.

Table 3.3 Example List of an Order of Succession

Leadership Succession for Health Director

Position Title Agency

Primary Health Director Monroe County Health Department

#1 Alternate Assistant Director Monroe County Health Department

#2 Alternate Operations Chief Monroe County Health Department

#3 Alternate Manager of Research Monroe County Health Department