Continuity of Operations (COOP) Plan

What is a COOP?

COOP = Continuity of Operations Plan. Its purpose is to ensure the continued performance of critical functions during a wide range of potential emergencies. It is a collection of resources, actions, procedures, and information that is developed, tested, and held in readiness for use in the event of a major disruption of operations. COOP planning helps prepare Yale University units to maintain mission-critical operations after any emergency or disaster.

Yale University’s mission is to create, preserve and disseminate knowledge. Each college, division, and major administrative unit on campus exists in support of this mission. Each area performs functions that are critical to the ongoing success of the mission. The COOP focuses on these critical functions. The identification and prioritization of critical functions is a prerequisite for COOP planning.

What does this mean for my department?

The resources on this site will help you and your department develop a plan that will ensure your resiliance during an emergency and enable you to reconsitute your operations with minimal disruption.

Where do I go from here?

1) Review the rest of this site, but start with the "getting started" document. Your first step will be to define your department's critical funtions and then the human and material resources that support them.

2) Then, you will want to start using the on-line COOP applicaiton. To do so, e-mail  Maria Bouffard and provide your department's name and your NetID

Go to COOP Application

Purpose of COOP Planning

  • Provide for continued performance of essential departmental functions under all circumstances
  • Ensure survivability of critical equipment, records and other assets
  • Minimize business damage and losses
  • Achieve orderly response and recovery from incident
  • Ensure succession of key leadership
  • Serve as foundation for overall Yale COOP program
  • Assure survivability of Yale University in most severe events

Support Documents

  1. Getting Started
  2. Defining Critical Functions
  3. Planning Guide
  4. Guide for Laboratories
  5. Training
  6. Interview Form
  7. FAQ
  8. Checklist

Guidance for Laboratories and Clinical Staff

The following might be considered as advice to laboratories and clinical staff, during a hazardous weather event.

  • Researchers and clinicians should take the possibility of a power outage into consideration as they plan procedures, experiments, and staffing for tomorrow and tomorrow night.  Consider avoiding or postponing new work with hazardous materials until the storm has passed. 
  • Be sure that all chemical bottles and reagent containers are capped to minimize vapor contamination in the event of power outage.
  • Lower fume hood sashes and ensure that no open materials are left inside.
  • Turn off all non-essential laboratory equipment, including computers and lights. 
  • If the power does go out, do not move freezers or refrigerators.  Instead, keep them closed tightly so that they will retain their cold as long as possible.  Vulnerable samples should be moved to CO2 or liquid nitrogen backed up freezers in advance.