Partners in Preparedness Emergency Management / Discussion Base Exercises 101 and

1. Partners in Preparedness Emergency Management / Discussion Base Exercises 101 and Functional Assessment Support Team (FAST)

2. Outline • National Incident Response System (NIMS) • Incident Command System • Emergency Operations Centers • Discussion Based Exercise Design and Participation • Functional Assessment Support Teams (FAST)

3. National Incident Management System The System we are to use for the Management of Incidents. 5 Components Preparedness Communications and Information Management Resource Management Command and Management Ongoing Maintenance and Management

4. Command and Management Command and Control of Incidents. 3 Components Incident Command System Muliagency Coordination Systems Public Information

5. Incident Command System Incident Commander Public Information Safety Liaison Finance and Admin Plans Logistics Operations

6. Multi Agency Coordination Systems Coordinate Support For Incidents Emergency Operations Centers Joint Field Offices Multi Agency Coordination Centers

7. Preparedness Exercises Test policies, plans, procedures, equipment and training/skills. 2 Basic Types of Exercises Discussion Based talk about Policies Plans and Procedures Operations based participants actually perform tasks and functions.

8. What Are Objectives? • As the cornerstone of design and development, objectives: • Provide a framework for scenario development • Drive a Master Scenario Events List (MSEL) • Guide development of individual organizational objectives • Provide evaluation criteria • Lessons Learned: • Limit the number of objectives to enable exercise conduct, facilitate reasonable scenario design, and adequately support successful completion of the exercise.

9. SMART Objectives

10. Objectives for Operations-Based Exercises • Focus on integration of multiple entities at systems-level and tactical-level. Example: Evaluate the ability of Americana’s incident command to activate essential HazMat personnel during a chemical incident in Americana in accordance with existing SOPs.

11. Objectives for Discussion-Based Exercises • Focus on strategic, policy-oriented issues. Example: Evaluate the plans for Americana’s incident command activation of essential HazMat personnel during a chemical incident in Americana in accordance with existing standard operating procedures (SOPs).

12. What are the types of Discussion-Based Exercises? • Seminars • Workshops • Tabletops • Games (will not discuss)

13. Who Is Involved in Discussion-Based Exercises? • Evaluators • Facilitators • Recorders • Observers/VIPs

14. Seminars • Typically conducted in a lecture-based format • Limited feedback or interaction from participants • Content can vary, but may include existing or current: • Capabilities • Mutual aid agreements (MAAs), etc. • Disaster plans, SOPs, or EOPs • Real-world or exercise experiences and lessons learned • Agency/jurisdictional directions and goals • Discuss hazards threats and vulnerabilities

15. Workshops • Desired outcome/product should be clearly defined. • Begin with background and rationale of the workshop. • Presentation followed by facilitated breakout sessions. • Participants reconvene in a plenary session.

16. Screen Facilitator Participants Observers Observers Seminar Style

17. Screen Facilitator Participants Observers Observers Workshop Style

18. Screen Facilitator Observers Observers Participants Conference Style

19. Tabletop Exercises • Two methodologies • Breakout • Plenary

20. Breakout Methodology • Uses several breakout groups seated at various tables with a facilitator at each table • Table assignments may vary by function or jurisdiction • Scenario is presented to all at the same time • Individual groups consider probable actions • Each group reports back to large group

21. Screen Group 1 Group 6 Facilitator Group 2 Group 5 Group 3 Group 4 Observers Observers Observers Tabletop Exercise Style

22. Plenary Methodology • Players grouped in a large room according to role • No periods set aside for small-group discussions • Requires active facilitation • Useful for exercises involving agencies without a traditional role in incident management • Can be done by a team of facilitators

23. Screen Facilitator Observers Observers Participants Conference Style

24. Screen Facilitator Participants Observers Observers Seminar Style

25. Wrap-Up Activities • Participants and observers complete feedback forms that should include: • Logistics evaluation • Improvements needed • Level of satisfaction • Conduct a debriefing or Hot Wash.

26. Hot Wash • Purpose: Examine the issues identified during the exercise from exercise participants and facilitators. • Capture notes for the After Action Report (AAR). • Collect feedback forms and give them to the Exercise Planning Team Leader.

27. Debrief • Conduct immediately after the exercise with Exercise Planning Team to: • Discuss issues or concerns • Propose improvements to exercise design • Capture notes from debriefing for the AAR.

28. Evaluation Activities • Evaluation occurs during all exercises. • Hot Wash is conducted with participants. • Participant feedback forms are distributed, completed, and collected for analysis after all exercises.

29. Emergency Management InstituteOn Line Emergency Management Independent Study (IS) Courses IS 700 National Incident Management System IS100 Introduction to Incident Command System IS 120.aAn Introduction to Exercises IS 130 Exercise Evaluation IS 139 Exercise Design

30. QuestionsThank You Dan Varner Arizona Division of Emergency Management Dan.varner@azdema.gov 602 464-6444