Disaster recovery, emergency response and business continuity plans are usually developed when no disaster exists. We think we’ve covered all contingencies. We think we’ve trained all the appropriate players. We’ve tested. We’ve re-tested. We think we’re ready to face whatever event there is looming out their with our name on it! The real world has a nasty habit of triggering disasters at the least opportune time, often featuring a twist that throws plans into disarray. This presentation focuses on three reasonable, real-world BCP plans, each of which had a fatal flaw. We will discuss elements that should be in a plan beyond the normal guidance from the Disaster Recovery Institute (DRI) and a set of actions that should be included in planning and preparation.