Vital records are defined as records containing information essential to the survival of an organisation in the event of a disaster, since they document an organisation's legal and financial position and preserve the rights of employees, customers and stockholders.

 
There are two types of vital records:

• Emergency operating records - Records essential to the continued functioning of an organisation during (emergency response activities) and after an emergency to ensure the continuation of the organisation.
• Rights and interests records - Records essential to the protection of the legal and financial rights of an organisation and of the individuals directly affected by the organisation's activities.

A vital records plan should be part of every organisation’s overall records and information management (RIM) program. Key elements of a vital records program include:

• Developing a plan for identifying and protecting vital information
• Conducting an analysis of threats and risks
• Selecting protection methods
• Implementing and maintaining a vital records protection program for your organisation

OASIS provides secure vital records protection options for hard copy, electronic back up media and electronic records including:

• Secure, offsite media vault storage that includes bio-metric security, fire protection and complete climate control
• OASIS Web-Hosted Repository for digital storage and access to images of vital documents