Skip to content
BOL Conferences
Thread Options
#487011 - 01/21/06 12:05 AM Power outage - do you close?
8675309 Offline
Diamond Poster
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,115
Where the wind comes sweeping ...
We had a power outage today and there was some discussion as to whether we close the bank or if we continue to operate as best we can. The power was out for thirty minutes and it was during the day so we could still see. We cashed checks and hand-wrote deposit slips. We stationed lenders and other personnel in the drive-in and at the front doors.

I am curious if other banks close during a power outage as a standard security precaution.
Does your bank close during a power outage?
single choice


Votes accepted starting: 01/21/06 12:04 AM
View Results

Return to Top
Security - PUBLIC
#487012 - 01/21/06 02:22 AM Re: Power outage - do you close?
Rocky P Offline
Power Poster
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 7,650
Florida
check your mailbox
_________________________
Integrity. With it, nothing else matters. Without it, nothing else matters.

Return to Top
#487013 - 01/21/06 05:11 AM Re: Power outage - do you close?
Peg 6897 Offline
100 Club
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 112
We have a generator to kick in when the power goes out (remember Y2K?)

Return to Top
#487014 - 01/21/06 02:34 PM Re: Power outage - do you close?
Vee Offline
100 Club
Vee
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 142
North Alabama
Y2K? A generator....wow your office must have really taken that seriously!
_________________________
The second mouse gets the cheese!

Return to Top
#487015 - 01/22/06 09:09 PM Re: Power outage - do you close?
Peg 6897 Offline
100 Club
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 112
Tell me about it. They also had a group of people there December 31, 1999 staying until 1am New Year's Day "in case". Glad I didn't have to do that! (Officer's only). Could you imagine, though?

Return to Top
#487016 - 01/23/06 03:40 PM Re: Power outage - do you close?
thomasj Offline
Power Poster
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 5,063
Pennsylvania
Quote:

Tell me about it. They also had a group of people there December 31, 1999 staying until 1am New Year's Day "in case". Glad I didn't have to do that! (Officer's only). Could you imagine, though?




I don't know, ours was kind of fun. Lots of good food then after midnight when the world didn't end we had champaign. Would have rather been home with the family, but if you had to work it that was the way to do it!
_________________________
Knowledge is knowing what to say. Wisdom is knowing when to say it.

Return to Top
#487017 - 01/23/06 06:57 PM Re: Power outage - do you close?
Peg 6897 Offline
100 Club
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 112
I see your point. They had lobster, shrimp, lots & lots of good food & I guess it was a good time, but as you said, I'd rather have been with the family (especially if the world as we know it did end).

Return to Top
#487018 - 01/23/06 07:13 PM Re: Power outage - do you close?
Uncle_Milty Offline
Gold Star
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 434
New Jersey
If any aspect of our security system was not functioning I would close. If I didn't close under these circumstances, I wouldn't want to let it be known here!

Return to Top
#487019 - 01/23/06 08:31 PM Re: Power outage - do you close?
Dana Turner Offline

Platinum Poster
Dana Turner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 543
Pipe Creek TX - U.S.
Folks,

A suggestion. If you lose one security device or process, consider closing until you replace it. No power -- consider operating from the drive-up window only -- and only after posting a couple of armed guards OUTSIDE the facility.

"We stationed lenders and other personnel in the drive-in and at the front doors." Were these Ninja-trained employees -- or ones you don't like? If you put employees in positions for which they're not trained -- or positions that place them at extreme personal risk (this qualifies), you do them and your institution a great disservice.
_________________________
Celebrating 42 entertaining years of crime . . .
danaturner@email.com

Return to Top
#487020 - 01/24/06 07:34 PM Re: Power outage - do you close?
Clown Boy Offline
Power Poster
Clown Boy
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,934
here and there
Which brings up the next question, do these lenders and other personnel get any sort of hazard pay?
_________________________
I am the ringmaster of my domain!

Return to Top
#487021 - 01/24/06 08:12 PM Re: Power outage - do you close?
8675309 Offline
Diamond Poster
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,115
Where the wind comes sweeping ...
I think it balances out all those free lunches and Friday golf.

Return to Top
#487022 - 01/24/06 08:27 PM Re: Power outage - do you close?
Kathleen O. Blanchard Offline

10K Club
Kathleen O. Blanchard
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 21,293
I always worry about insurance when employers have staff do things like this or carrying heavy items instead of staff or temps hired for that purpose. The bank could end up responsible for injuries.
_________________________
Kathleen O. Blanchard, CRCM "Kaybee"
HMDA/CRA Training/Consulting/Mapping
The HMDA Academy
www.kaybeescomplianceinsights.com

Return to Top
#487023 - 02/07/06 06:22 PM Re: Power outage - do you close?
Greg Offline
Platinum Poster
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 833
Michigan
We use a middle of the road approach: We continue to accept transactions through the drive up window but we lock the lobby. However, we do post someone at the door to admit known customers only.

Two things to consider here: 1) our locations are all in small towns - no high crime areas and 2) our security systems all have battery backup so they are still operating.

Like anything else you have to look at your circumstances and weigh risk vs reward. In our situation the risk is minimal and the reward is happy customers. In an urban situation the risk could well be unacceptable.

One final thought . . . your security / contingency plan should have anticipated such a situation and the proper course of action should have already been determined.
_________________________
If you approach life with pure logic you can avoid almost all of the fun.

Return to Top
#487024 - 02/10/06 07:25 PM Re: Power outage - do you close?
Dip Offline
Power Poster
Dip
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 6,298
San Diego, CA
that's what i was going to say---shouldn't your business continuity plan describe how you will "continue business" in a situation like this??? it should, and it shouldn't be that you close your doors--that is definitely NOT continuing business. security cameras and alarms should have constant power that uses a back up if the power goes out. also, if you use voip for phones, you should have a back up phone that will work when power is out. we had to address this in our plan since we are in CA with possible rolling blackouts, but this is an issue that should be addressed in your BCP in such a way as to allow your customers to continue banking. each of our branches have a disaster kit that hs paper copies of all the forms they will need, pens and pencils, a radio, calculators, batteries, flashlights, disposable cameras and some even have video cameras, and emergency phone list... you really need to be prepared to continue operations. your customers don't quit banking just because your power is out or your computers crashed.
_________________________
Dabbling in banking, law, accounting...the life of a trustee.

Return to Top

Moderator:  Andy_Z