The Contingency Planning SAFER Guide identifies recommended safety practices associated with planned or unplanned EHR unavailability—instances in which clinicians or other end users cannot access all or part of the EHR. Occasional temporary unavailability of EHRs is inevitable, due to failures of software and hardware infrastructure, as well as power outages and natural and man-made disasters. Such unavailability can introduce substantial safety risks to organizations that have not adequately prepared.