Do you know where your vital records are? (Up front: news, trends & analysis).

The sight of documents raining from the sky as the World Trade Center towers fell to the ground September 11 will stay in the public mind for some time. As a result of this massive destruction, many organizations are now examining how they are protecting their records and information -- especially those records that are vital to the survival of the organization. Previous studies have shown that many businesses directly affected by a disaster never reopen their doors and that many of those that do reopen close within a few years.

Key to business survival is the implementation of a vital records protection program previous to a disaster. According to a new standard being developed by ARMA International, vital records protection begins with a business analysis to identify 1) the functions that are vital to the continued operation of an organization, 2) the recordkeeping requirements of each of those functions, and 3) the specific records that are vital to each function. Once these vital records are identified and classified, the cost of protecting or reconstructing them must be weighed against the value of the information to the organization. Based on these determinations, methods of protection and location of remote storage for these records must be selected.

A vital records schedule that lists these records, where they are located, and how they are protected -- similar to the one shown here -- should be kept in a location that is accessible to staff members who may need it. This schedule, as well as the procedures for the retrieval of backups and for the recovery and restoration of records and information after the occurrence of a disaster event, form the basis of a vital records program manual. This manual is also to be used as a reference and for orientation and training of personnel throughout the organization.

Of course, as part of a good records and information management program, organizations must also be concerned about ensuring the protection of their non-vital records and information.

"Anything you can do to safeguard and keep track of records you need ... will save you the hassle of having to replace them," Albin Renauer, a legal editor at Nolo.com, a Berkeley, California, publisher of books and software for non-lawyers, recently told The Wall Street Journal

Conducting routine backups of computer files and storing them and other records in a location that is as secure as is warranted by their value -- either in an offsite storage facility or an element-resistant section within the company's building -- is the first step in protecting them against loss or damage.

Although disaster events can not be predicted, those organizations with a comprehensive records and information management program that includes a vital records protection program will be the ones to beat the odds against recovering and staying in business for the long term.

Sample Vital Records Schedule

Record           Location     Media      Electronic
                                         Application

Daily Customer   Customer     Digital/   PUBS 2
Transactions     Service      e-server

Legal Cases,     Central      Paper      N/A
originals        Records

Paid Invoices,   Accounts     Paper      N/A
originals        Receivable

Billing Files,   Accounts     LAN "I"    MS Excel 97
originals        Receivable   Drive

Deeds to land,   File vault   Paper      N/A
owner copies

Record           Reference   Protection                       * Class
                 Activity

Daily Customer   High        Nightly backup to XYZ data       V1
Transactions                 vault via secured modem
                             (www.xyz.com)

Legal Cases,     High        Microfilm original stored at     V1
originals                    ABC Records Storage

Paid Invoices,   Medium      Duplicate on file in Corporate   V2
originals                    Finance -- New York

Billing Files,   High        Nightly tape backup of LAN,      V1
originals                    stored at Backup Storage Inc.

Deeds to land,   Medium      Original on file in County       V2
owner copies                 Courthouse

* V1 = Records and information essential for emergency operations

V2 = Records and information essential for immediate resumption and
continuation of business following a disaster

V3 = Records and information essential for legal or audit purposes

Source: ARMA International