PS-Prepª At-A-Glance "Private organizations across the country - from businesses to universities to non-profit organizations - have a vital role to play in bolstering our disaster preparedness and response capabilities. These new standards will provide our private sector partners with the tools they need to enhance the readiness and resiliency of our nations." - Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security ¥ A voluntary program; ¥ Mandated by Congress after 9/11, via the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007; ¥ Creates awareness and safeguards organizations against effects of a disruption - natural or man-made; ¥ Built on three standards adopted by Department of Homeland Security (DHS); ¥ A resource for continuity, recovery, and resiliency; ¥ PS-Prepª can improve preparedness, no matter the size or scope of business; and ¥ PS-Prepª is a critical resource for emergency management agencies across the nation. The PS-Prepª Message As FEMA employees, you are invaluable ambassadors of the PS-Prepª program. When informing audiences about this program, it's important to let them know they have choices. With PS-Prepª. interested parties may follow best practices, align to a chosen standard, or certify to a standard. The ultimate message is to be prepared. The Standards PS-Prepª offers three different standards for continuity and recovery processes, developed by preparedness experts. When implemented, these standards provide policy, processes, procedures, performance measures, and quality improvement practices that are updated regularly to ensure ongoing relevance. They are: ¥ Disaster and Emergency Management and Business Continuity {NFPA 1600:2007/2010 editions} wwww.nfpa.org ¥ Organizational Resilience and Security Preparedness and Continuity Management {ASIS SPC. 1-2009} www.asisonline.org ¥ Business Continuity Management {BSI BS 25999} www.bsiamerica.com For detailed information on the standards, direct interested parties to their respective sites. Applications for each standard may be found on wwww.anab.org Frequently Asked Questions Who is the audience? Private sector entitiesÑlarge corporations, small to medium-sized businesses, and non-profit organizations. What makes PS-Prepª different? PS-Prepª offers several options toward preparedness: following best practices; aligning to a standard; or certification. Who oversees certification? The American National Standards Institute (ANSI)ÐAmerican Safety for Quality (ASQ) National Accreditation Board (ANAB) What is the difference between standards and best practices? Best practices are the building blocks on which standards are built. Standards provide a management system that includes policies, processes, and best practices. Preparing to the standardsÕ best practices is a step toward preparedness, ultimately providing uniform planning within the organization. Resources FEMA Voluntary Private Sector Preparedness Accreditation and Certification Program (PS-Prepª) Resource Center www.fema.gov/privatesector/preparedness FEMA Private Sector Focus www.fema.gov/privatesector Ready Business www.readybusiness.gov The Red Cross Ready Rating Program www.readyrating.org Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) www.ibhs.org ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board www.anab.org U.S. Small Business Administration Ð Disaster Preparedness www.sbaonline.sba.gov/services/ disasterassistance/disasterpreparedness www.facebook.com/fema www.twitter.com/fema DonÕt forget to share PS-Prepª on Facebook and Twitter. These sites are critical in building program awareness, as well as driving traffic to the PS-Prepª website. Contact Marcus E. Pollock Chief Standards Technology Branch U.S. Department of Homeland Security 999 E Street, NW Washington, DC 20472 (202) 626-2801 tel (202) 680-4927 cell marcus.pollock@dhs.gov