o Put critical vendors on alert.

o Reviewed the plan with all employees prior to evacuation.

o Was a member of the Shared Branch Network

o Had ATMs in stand-in mode.

o Updated the Web site daily on the status of the credit union.

o Had financial systems on-line within 32 hours, and telephone teller and home banking within 40 hours.

o Opened a mobile credit union five days after the hurricane.

o Opened a local branch eight days after Rita hit.

Then he noted what the credit union had not planned for:

o The enormity of the human factor, with homes destroyed, schools and day care providers closed, and employees struggling to assist elderly parents.

o Being out of corporate headquarters for more than a year.

o The effort needed to place returned workers.

o No electricity for more than three weeks.

o The planned evacuation route being in Rita's path.

o Key employees locked in traffic.

o Lack of diesel fuel for generators.

o Recovery vendors faced with multiple disaster declarations.

o Land-based communications inoperable in safe areas.

Finally he outlined steps the credit union has taken in response to that experience:

o Switched to a core processor for disaster recovery of the in-house financial system.

o Established a co-located data center for mission critical servers and applications.

o Established a mobile credit union office.

o Arranged for satellite communications.

o Purchased generators that can operate on diesel or natural gas.

o Conducted table-top exercises.

o Established a central location for key employees.

o Signed an agreement for temporary building facilities.

o Increased insurance coverage. –[email protected]