Having your own Continuity of Operations (COOP) and Continuity of Government (COG) plans are critical elements needed to ensure that government services can be delivered when disasters strike your community or region.
The challenge I see with this planning is that you need to prioritize your services. What is critical and what can be a lower priority? Which personnel by position are essential and who is not. Do nonessential personnel have a different duty during disasters?
The other aspect of the above that I find interesting is this. People do not like seeing their position and work designated "nonessential." They don't feel valued by that designation. On the other hand, when the chips are down and you need only "essential personnel" to report to work — then, they don't like having that designation. It is an interesting dichotomy.
