Re Regio gional nal Fu Full-Scale Scale Ex Exerc ercis ise - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Nor

• rth

th Cen entral tral Te Texas as Re Regio gional nal Fu Full-Scale Scale Ex Exerc ercis ise

Molly McFadden & Alicia Toombs May 16, 2017

Pr Pres esenters enters

• Molly McFadden

– Director of Emergency Preparedness NCTCOG

• Alicia Toombs

– Previously with City of Dallas OEM – Deputy Director of Big X – Previous Chair of T & E Working Group – Now with The Olson Group, Ltd.

Pu Purpose pose

• Provide an overview of Big X 2016
• Recap the planning, conduct and after action

processes

• Highlight exercise planning/ design successes
• Share planning/ design lessons learned

• 1. Exercise Overview
• 2. Planning Process
• 3. Exercise Conduct
• 4. After Action Process

Ou Outline line

EX EXERCISE ERCISE OV OVER ERVIEW VIEW

Alicia Toombs

Bi Big g X Ov X Overv erview iew

• Exercise planning process began April 2016,

utilizing HSEEP guidelines

• Exercise conduct took place November 11-13,

2016

• Multi-day, multi-discipline functional and full-

scale exercises

• Opportunity for teams and disciplines

throughout the region to exercise tactical skills, response capabilities, and coordinated

• perations

Jur Juris isdicti diction

• n

Pa Partic icipat ipation ion

• Cities (61)

– Allen – Arlington – Bedford – Benbrook – Brazos – Brendon – Burleson – Carrollton – Cedar Hill – City of Haltom City – Colleyville – Coppell – Cresson – Crowley – Dallas – Denton – DeSoto – Duncanville – Euless – Flower Mound – Forest Hill – Frisco – Garland – Glenn Heights – Grand Prairie – Grapevine – Highland Park – Hurst – Irving – Joshua – Keller – Kennedale – Krum – Lake Palo Pinto – Lancaster – Lewisville – Mansfield – McKinney – Mesquite – Midlothian – Mineral Wells – North Richland Hills – Ovilla – Pantego – Plano – Princeton – Red Oak – Richardson – Richland Hills – Roanoke – Rowlett – Sachse – Saginaw – Santo – Seagoville – Southlake – Watauga – Westlake – Wylie

• Counties (9)

– Dallas County – Denton County – Ellis County – Hood County – Johnson County – Kaufman County – Palo Pinto County – Parker County – Rockwall County

• Special Districts (4)

– Baylor Dallas – Parkland Hospital – TX Health Presbyterian Hospital Rockwall – DFW Airport

Dis isci cipli pline ne Pa Partic icipat ipation ion

• 18 SWAT Teams
• 10 EOD Teams
• 10 HazMat Teams
• 15 Fire Departments (Wildland Fire)
• 14 USAR Teams
• 20 CERT Teams
• 11 Emergency Operations Centers

Dis isci cipli pline ne Pa Partic icipat ipation ion

• EOC Support Team w/GIS Response Team
• 3 Hospitals
• Unmanned Aerial Systems Response Team

– USAR, SWAT, and Wildland fire

• Public Health/ESF-8 (November 11)
• Interoperable Communications (November

11-13)

Number umber of

• f Ven

Venue ues & S & Scen enarios arios

• 36 Venues
• Not including 11 EOC’s
• 41 Total Scenarios
• 4 Integrated Scenarios
• Multiple tactical

teams working on joint scenario

Number umber of

• f Ven

Venue ues & S & Scen enarios arios

Ex Exerc ercise ise Pl Play ay

• TCC Fire Service

Training Center

– Urban Search and Rescue – Community Emergency Response Team – EOC Support Team

• Wildland Fire

– Palo Pinto County

• Tactical Disciplines

– EOD, HAZMAT, & SWAT – Various locations throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metroplex

Ta Tactic ical al Dis isci ciplin plines es Con

• ncep

cept t of

• f Op

Oper erati ations

• ns

Integrated Scenarios

North West East

Ta Tactic ical al Dis isci ciplin plines es Con

• ncep

cept t of

• f Op

Oper erati ations

• ns

Scenario 4 Scenario 5 Scenario 6 Scenario 7 Scenario 8 Scenario 8

Site 1

HazMat/SWAT/EOD

Integrated Sites Site 2

SWAT/EOD

Site 3

HazMat/EOD

PL PLAN ANNING NING PR PROCESS OCESS

Molly McFadden

Pl Plan anni ning ng Ti Timeli meline ne

Activity Date Issued RFP November 2015 Proposals Due December 2015 Selected Vendor February 2016 Kickoff March 7-8, 2016 IPM April 11-14, 2016 MPM July 11-14, 2016 FPM Oct 3-7, 2016 Touch-base conference calls Weekly Other (to address specific challenges) Ad Hoc

Bi Big g X Fu X Fundi nding ng

• Primarily funded with FY 15 SHSP

grant funds

• In kind match from participating

jurisdictions

• Domestic Nuclear Detection Office
• Partnered with DSHS for the mass

fatality trailer scenario

• Partnered with the NCTTRAC for

moulage

• Vendors supported by loaning

equipment

Cont

• ntractor

ractor

• Lead planning meetings
• Lead all site visits
• Solicited & tracked donations
• Solicited & tracked vendor participation
• Provided lead controllers & evaluators
• Developed all HSEEP documentation
• Coordinated all logistics
• Served as Deputy PIO

Cont

• ntractor

ractor

• Served as Exercise Incident Commander
• Developed site-specific scenarios
• Developed site-specific operations plans
• Provided victim moulage & explosive devises
• Developed branding and marketing materials
• Developed and maintained website, twitter,

and Facebook

• Produced exercise videos

Wo Worki king ng Gr Group

• up Me

Meet etings ings

• Exercise details were addressed here rather

than the large, formal planning meetings

– USAR – Emergency Management – Citizen Corps/ CERT – Interoperable Communications – SWAT – HazMat – EOD – Wildland Fire – Training & Exercise (became planning committee)

Spo ponsors nsors

• PARATECH
• BFX Fire Apparatus
• TX Whiskey
• EVALS
• SIMUNITION
• Kappler Inc.
• FLIR Systems, Inc
• NETGEAR
• Motorola Solutions
• LION
• Groggy Dog
• ALERRT
• MedStar Mobile

Healthcare

• Coca-Cola
• Incident Response

Technologies, Inc

• FarrWest
• HiVis Supply
• Parkland Health and Hospital

System

• Med-Eng
• FlyHighUSA
• DJI
• Kodiak
• BAE Systems
• CavCom Inc
• Black Box Fusion, LLC
• RMI International, Inc
• Duck Cancer Inc
• AT&T
• DetectaChem, LLC
• Greater Dallas Restaurant

Association

• Pizza Hut
• O’Reilly
• McDonalds
• The Original Pancake House
• Texadelphia
• Celebrity Bakery
• Grub Burger Bar
• Central Market
• Nomad Global

Communications Inc.

• DoubleTree Hilton Hotel

Arlington

Go Gove vernment rnment & VO & VOAD AD Pa Partners ners

• NCTRAC/ Health Departments

– Moulage – Health checks at sites with integrated scenarios

• DNDO

– Radiological sources – Controllers/ Evaluators

• ITDRC- Technology & logistics support
• Salvation Army- Food for CERT site
• 6th Civil Support Team

– Staffing, supplies, controllers/evaluators

Ven Vendo dor r Pa Partners ners (ex (examples amples)

• Alerrt- PPE for SWAT scenarios
• AT&T/ Kodiak- Push-to-Talk phones for

exercise control

• Black Box Fusion- Phone system for exercise

control

• IRT/ Rhodium- Incident Management software
• Nusura- Simulation Deck (media/social media)
• Kappler- HazMat training suits

Spo ponsor/Vendor nsor/Vendor Ap Appr precia eciation tion

• Social Media
• Website
• Banners at each site
• Exercise videos
• Kickoff Banquet

Ex Exerc ercise ise Br Bran anding ding & Re & Recognition

• gnition
• T-Shirts
• Coins
• Branded

Insulated Mugs

• Vendor

reception/ kickoff banquet

• Video
• Custom gifts

Sit ite e Pl Plan anni ning ng

• Site walk(s)- contractor and site hosts
• Site plan templates- provided by contractor

– Equipment/ staffing recommendations – Scenario – Recommended layout (parking, check-in, etc.)

• Site hosts-

– Often SWAT teams not participating – Coordinated staffing, equipment/supply needs

Pl Plan anni ning ng Suc uccesses esses

• Non-planning team members were tasked

with exercise support activities (planning meals, the banquet, t-shirts, etc.)

• EMPG Guide
• Consideration for vendor/ partners needs
• Medical Checks
• Use of ICS in planning (partial success)
• Managing the “idea fairy” (partial success)

Pl Plan anni ning ng Le Lessons ssons Le Learn arned ed

• Staffing levels should be tracked early on
• More time should be allowed for managing

supplies (receiving, verifying, unpacking,

• rganizing)
• Build a contingency for teams that have to

drop out or get deployed

• Structure planning documents so that small

changes don’t have large, cascading effects

• Introduce new technology way ahead of time

• Site controllers/ site hosts attended briefings

but did not pick up equipment and supplies for their sites; didn’t receive instructions at pickup sites. (note cards, PTT phones)

• Unclear expectations about support needed

from local jurisdictions/ site hosts

Pl Plan anni ning ng Le Lessons ssons Le Learn arned ed

EX EXERCISE ERCISE CON ONDUCT DUCT

Alicia Toombs

Ti Timeli meline ne

Time Activity Friday 11/11 4 Hour EOC Functional Portion Friday Mass Fatality Scenario Friday USAR 1st Shift Saturday All SWAT and Integrated Scenarios Saturday USAR 2nd Shift Saturday Hospital Scenarios Sunday Wildland Fire Scenario Sunday USAR 3rd Shift

Ex Exerc ercise ise Command

• mmand

Ar Area ea Command

• mmand

Integrated Scenarios

North West East

Ex Exerc ercise ise Cont

• ntrol

rol Cell ell

• Housed at Dallas County EOC
• Acted as Incident/Unified Command
• SimCell & Control Cell were activated Friday
• Operated 24x7 from STARTEX to ENDEX
• Staffed by Contracted staff, COG staff, planning

team members, and technical support staff

Ex Exerc ercise ise Cont

• ntrol

rol Ac Activ ivit ities ies

• Managed the flow and control of exercise play
• Managed overall safety
• Managed emerging issues
• Tracked field teams
• Coordinated schedule/ site changes between

teams, the sites, and support staff

• Provided Operations, Logistics, Planning, and

Finance functions

EO EOC C Pl Play ay

• Overarching scenario,

with customization of details and MSEL for each EOC

• SimDeck provided real-

time injects that imitated media and social media

• Simulated coordination

with field response

Fi Fiel eld d Re Resp sponse

• nse
• SWAT teams rotated

through standalone scenarios (morning)

• SWAT teams joined HazMat

& EOD teams to work on integrated scenarios (midday)

• SWAT team completed

remaining standalone

Saf afety ety

• A simunitions safety officer was assigned to

each site

• No weapons were allowed in the secured area

(including chiefs or observers)

• Teams were issued weapons and sims on site
• Teams traveled from site to site with their

guns in a locker in their transport vehicle

• Teams brought PPE

In Integra egrated ted Scen enarios arios

• Multiple SWAT Team Scenario
• Combined Teams
• SWAT, EOD and HazMat
• Ammonia Leak in Active Threat Environment
• SWAT and EOD
• Dirty Bomb
• EOD and HazMat
• HME Lab

*Medical checks were provided by MRC volunteers*

In Integra egrated ted Scen enarios arios

• First time this type of interaction has taken

place in an exercise this large and complex.

– No examples to borrow from – Difficult to plan scenario timelines

• Great feedback

– From participants – From observers

Ho Hospital pital Pl Play ay

• Hospitals approached the planning team

about participating

• Some planning was facilitated by Big X

planning team members, some by hospitals

• Big X sent moulaged and un-moulaged

volunteers

• Evaluated admitting patients with radiological

contamination

• Practiced mass decon

Ma Mass s Fa Fatalit ality y Scen enario ario

• Affected county did much of their own

planning, but some was facilitated by Big X

• Big X prompted their activation through

injects

• Contractor sent a controller/evaluator to help

collect data

Te Technology hnology

• Collaboration between locals, state, federal,

private sector, and non-profit partners

– Push-to-talk phones – Switchboard box – Drones – ITDRC Command Vehicle – Radiological Detection Divices

Ex Exerc ercise ise Conduc

• nduct

t Suc uccesses esses

• Teams arrived at scenario locations within

scheduled window

• All sites were ready for participants when they

arrived

• Scenarios were realistic and challenging
• Tested the region’s ability to support multiple

incidents across multiple jurisdictions.

• No injuries

Ex Exerc ercise ise Conduc

• nduct

t Le Lessons ssons Le Learn arned ed

• Should include SMEs for technical/ complex

exercise elements (simunitions, radiological, HazMat, EOD)

• If exercise is paused for significant amount of

time, restart with next time slot. (schedule)

• Have a policy about providing meals that sites

must follow.

• Schedule integrated scenarios before or after

standalone SWAT scenarios, not between.

AF AFTE TER R AC ACTI TION ON PR PROC OCESS ESS

Pa Partic icipant ipant Fe Feed edback back

• EVALS
• Site feedback/issue cards
• Overall participant, staff, and planning

committee feedback forms (online eliminated days of work!)

• Multiple HOTWASH/Debrief sessions
• Contractor developed draft AAR/IP and

Lessons Learned Report

• Formal AAR/IP Meeting

Af After er Ac Actio ion n Le Lessons ssons Le Learn arned ed

• Electronic EEGs were not ideal for all areas of

the exercise- better for tactical than EOC

• Notecards were not used much- feedback

about sites and specific scenarios was limited

CON ONCLUSION CLUSION

Bi Big g X Wi X Wins ns

Wins include:

• Players found the exercise to be highly beneficial
• Integrated scenarios allowed multiple disciplines to

train together resulting in better response and collaboration

• Tested our previous regional planning efforts to

respond to these incidents

• Identified areas to focus future funding, training,

and planning

Le Lessons ssons Le Learn arned ed

Planning Team Areas of Improvement

• Extend planning process timeline:

– An exercise of this size, scope, and complexity needs a minimum

• f 12 months to plan
• Date selection importance:

– Do not schedule on a holiday weekend – Deconflict planned events with partners/stakeholders and get on their calendars early

• Site Host Agreements:

– Should begin sooner in the process – Get long term agreement with city/county training sites

Le Lessons ssons Le Learn arned ed

Planning Team Areas of Improvement

• Keep the planning team to a manageable size:

– Have no more than two subject matter experts from each discipline that are empowered to make decisions for the group

• Staffing Issues:

– Exercise size, scope and complexity required a large number of volunteers, role players, and evaluators. Identify whether or not you have personnel to fill roles early on in the planning process

• Donations/Vendors:

– Need to engage earlier in planning

• Use of Technology:

– Technology can be incredibly helpful, but must be received in a timely manner and training for users must be accomplished with time to gain familiarity to be successful

Mo Movi ving ng Fo Forward ward

Use AAR-IP finding to fix identified gaps and deficiencies

• FY 17 State Homeland Security Program Grants:

– Equipment needs:

• Personal Radiation Detectors
• Ballistic Blankets
• Night Vision Googles

– Training needs:

• Six training projects for multiple disciplines – directly related to AAR-IP
• Multi-Year Training and Exercise Plan:

– The Big X AAR-IP has given us the foundation to build the region’s new multi-year training and exercise plan – Identified the need for midterm drills and functional exercises (going back to the crawl, walk, run for our integrated ops) – Identified the needed training areas for each of the disciplines – Filling the gaps while building towards Big X 2019

QUESTIONS ESTIONS?