Check out the new guidance for defining essential employees and essential functions in your agency's continuity of operations plan. In the event of a resurgence of pandemic flu, a management directive is available to assist agencies with their pandemic plans. Tips for employees who may be asked to work from remote locations are also available. The National Center for State Courts has issued contintuity of operations planning (COOP) guidance for U.S. courts. The Web site and guide were developed with the assistance of a national coalition for emergency management, representing 16 court and emergency management organizations, and support from the Bureau of Justice Assistance.

PA Emergency Management Agency PEMA coordinates state agency response and supports county and local governments in the areas of civil defense, disaster mitigation and preparedness, planning, and response to and recovery from disasters. PA Pandemic Flu Information and resources about public health and state government planning. Pennsylvania Homeland Security Get a clear understanding of the tenets of homeland security and how Pennsylvania organizes commonwealth agencies to comply. GETS Program Government Emergency Telephone System provides priority handling of phone calls placed over the public phone system via access number and a PIN Business Continuity PA’s businesses should plan, in advance, for emergencies. This Web site can help. FEMA COOP This plan documents the overarching strategy, policies, and procedures of the FEMA headquarters COOP program--although designed with FEMA in mind, it may be used as a template to develop guidance and programs State of Maryland's COOP Maryland developed its COOP Program in conjunction with University of Maryland, Center for Health and Homeland Security Commonwealth of Virginia: COOP Toolkit Manuals, worksheets and templates provide insight to other approaches to state continuity of operations

The purpose of identifying agencies into communities of practice is to assist each by sharing resources, methodologies and best practices. Each community meets regularly and receives guidance for each plan component. There are four communities of practice: environment, general government operations, health & human services and public safety. A listing of which agencies fall within which communities is available.