Intro to Tabletop Exercises Michael Ruple School Safety Coordinator - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Georgia Emergency Management Agency Homeland Security

01/28/2016

Intro to Tabletop Exercises

Michael Ruple School Safety Coordinator Area A

Enabling Objectives

• Define Exercise
• Why should we conduct exercises?
• Types of exercises
• Tabletop Overview
• Goals of a tabletop
• Roles and responsibilities

Exercise

• Exercise:
• A focused practice activity that places

participants in a simulated situation requiring them to function in the capacity that would be expected of them in a real event.

• Goal is to identifying and eliminating problems

before an incident occurs.

Why should we exercise?

• Promote preparedness by testing policies and

procedures (strengths and weaknesses)

• Trains personnel in expected job functions
• Practical, efficient, cost effective ways to prepare

for emergencies

• Training helps those affected to respond in a

quicker manner (muscle memory)

• “We’re preparing for the event we hope never

happens.”-Denver Fire Department Captain

Types of Exercises

• Orientation
• Informal presentation to a group
• Drill
• Actual field or facility response
• Tabletop
• Narrative, group discussion, problem statements
• Functional
• Interactive, complex, conducted in real-time
• Full-Scale
• Field based, real-time, on-site response

Types of Exercises

Orientation Drill Tabletop Exercise Functional Exercise Full-Scale Exercise Format Informal discussion in group setting Various presentation methods Actual field or facility response Actual equipment Narrative presentation Problem statements or simulated messages Group discussion No time pressures Interactive, complex Players respond to messages (events/problems) provided by simulators. Realistic but no actual equipment. Conducted in real time; stressful Realistic event announcement Personnel gather at assigned site Visual narrative (enactment) Actions at scene serve as input to EOC simulation Leaders Facilitator Manager, supervisor, department head, or designer Facilitator Controller Controller(s) Participants Single Personnel for Anyone with Players (policy, All levels of agency/ the function a policy, coordination, and personnel (policy, department, being tested planning, or

• perations

coordination,

• r cross-

functional May include coordination,

• perations,

response response role for the type of situation used personnel) Simulators Evaluators

• perations, field)

Evaluators personnel Facilities Conference room Facility, field,

• r EOC

Large conference room EOC or other

• perating center

(multiple rooms) Realistic setting EOC or other

• perating center

Time 1–2 hours ½–2 hours 1–4 hours or longer 3–8 hours or longer 2 hours to 1 or more days

Pros and Cons to Tabletop Exercise

Facilitator role

• Facilitators have multiple responsibilities while

running a tabletop exercise:

• Identify evaluators and scribes
• Set the stage for the exercise (frame it up)
• Involve all participants
• Encourage in-depth problem solving
• Control pace and flow of exercise and messages
• Provide reference materials (EOPs or handouts)
• Ensure layout is conducive to desired atmosphere

Tabletop Goal #1

• 1. Establish Base
• 1. Review Plans
• 2. Conduct Needs Assessment (How you determine

what exercise should cover)

1. Identify hazards 2. Identify priority- likelihood, magnitude, consequences, etc.

• 3. Scope (How big and involved)

1. What area? 2. Who should be participating? (PD, SO, EMA, Hospital, Dieticians, Nurses, Communications, etc.)

• 4. What do we expect to gain from exercise?

Tabletop Goal #2

• 1. Exercise development
• 1. Assemble planning team
• 2. Needs/Scope/Objectives may be revisited

depending on complexity

• 3. Create a narrative
• 4. Design the major and detailed events- what is

happening to further the simulation

• 5. What are the expected actions?
• 6. Design messages to further challenge our team

Tabletop Goal #3

• 1. Conduct the Exercise
• 1. Be clear about scenario and expectations
• 2. Foster realism (encourage participants not to “fight

the scenario”)

• 3. Establish timelines
• 4. Review emergency call off procedures
• 5. Capitalize on problem situations- encourage group

discussion to solve issues

• 6. Insert messages to further challenge problem

solving and discussion

Tabletop Goal #4

• 1. Evaluate and Critique
• 1. Constructive criticism
• 2. What improvements were noted?
• 3. What training was identified?
• 4. Staffing solutions to enhance preparations?

Tabletop Goal #5

• 1. Exercise follow-up
• 1. What timeline are improvements expected to

be implemented?

• 2. Who and when will training be conducted?
• 3. Any additional information that was identified

and needs to be clarified

Practical Activity

Additional Resources

• FEMA Online Courses
• IS-120 Intro to Exercises
• IS-130 Exercise Evaluation and Improvement

Planning

• Schools within district that have completed
• Other districts (build those relationships!)
• Local EMAs
• School Safety Coordinators

Guides

Guides contd

School Safety Coordinators

Questions?

Michael Ruple GEMA/HS School Safety Unit Michael.Ruple@gema.ga.gov 404-275-7427