NATURAL
DISASTER , PANDEMIC, SNS, CRI EXERCISES
 According
to most Public Health Experts, the world is due for another
pandemic outbreak. With the rapid spread of the H5N1
Avian "Bird" Influenza Virus throughout the
globe, we all must prepare for a possible (some say inevitable)
widespread human-to-human transfer of the virus. It is
our goal to assist you in examining and building your
capabilities to meet the challenges of this unique threat
to public health.
With the arrival of the H5N1 virus, and its potential
for becoming a dangerous Pandemic Event, all levels of
government will be severely challenged to respond to issues
such as:
- Surveillance and Rapid Lab Testing
- Isolation, Quarantine and Containment
- Facility Closures and Event Cancellation
- Social Distancing and Targeted Prophylaxis
- Hospital Surge Capacity
- Prioritization of Antivirals and Vaccine Distribution
- SNS and PODS Management
- Impact on Healthcare and First Responder Staffing
- Impact on the Economy
- Security and Civil Disturbance
- Communications with the Media and the Public
Critical Incident Solutions (CIS), a provider of Homeland
Security Training and Personal Protective Equipment, stands
ready to assist you! We have a wealth of experience
in developing and conducting Pandemic Influenza and Bio-Terrorism
exercises that evaluate an organization’s ability
to prepare for, detect and respond to a naturally occurring
or malevolent incident.
 We
can apply the Homeland Security Exercise Evaluation Planning
(HSEEP) guidance and develop a customized exercise to
meet your needs. We are certified National Incident Management
System-Incident Command System (NIMS-ICS) Instructors,
and can also assist you in functioning according to NIMS-ICS
principles. We also have the expertise and experience
to assist with the development and validation of your
Continuity of Operations (COOP) Plan.
Our full-time staff has an unmatched depth of expertise
in the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and
Explosive (CBRNE) arena, and includes subject matter experts
formerly with the FBI, U.S. Department of State, BATF
and U.S. Military. Our Biological Training Program, which
includes Special Projects for Pandemic Influenza, is supported
by high level Public Health and Emergency Management professionals
who currently oversee key State and Federal Biological
Response Programs. One of our key staff members is a former
FBI WMD Coordinator and Lead Investigator for the 2001
Anthrax Attacks in Boca Raton, Florida, and has worked
closely with Local, State and Federal agencies during
the development and implementation of the Biowatch Program
as well as the Biological Detection System (BDS) currently
in use throughout the United States.
The following
are some of our firm’s recent and ongoing related
projects: Natural Disaster, Pandemic, SNS,
CRI Exercises:
City Readiness Initiative (CRI) HSEEP Functional
Exercise in Texas (presently ongoing): Our
firm is currently assisting Harris County and the City
of Houston with a functional exercise that involves
a Bio Watch alert caused by an Anthrax release over
a widespread area encompassing three counties and the
city of Houston. A primary objective of this exercise
is to evaluate CRI plans and procedures during activation
of EOC/Public Health Operations in each of 4 locations
that will be affected by the incident. Command and control
functions as well as emergency communications will be
tested as part of the exercise as public health, law
enforcement, hospitals, medical examiner and mental
health personnel work together to address the issues
surrounding this public health emergency. The exercise
will culminate in activation of a POD for mass prophylaxis
of victims of the attack.
Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) Strategic
National Stockpile (SNS) HSEEP Table-Top Exercise
for the State of Missouri and Kansas (July, 2007): CIS
conducted a Table Top Exercise for MARC that evaluated
the region’s response to a large, evolving infectious
disease emergency caused by an act of terrorism. The
objectives for the exercise included:
- Clarify each discipline’s role in Mass Prophylaxis
Dispensing.
- Demonstrate an understanding of prioritization
of dispensing SNS materials.
- Clarify each discipline’s protocol for
identifying staff to be prophylaxed with limited
caches of medication.
- Utilize the WebEOC System during the Tabletop
exercise to share decisions that have regional impact.
Participants included personnel from 10 local public
health departments in 8 counties and representatives
from law enforcement, emergency management, emergency
medical services and state health departments. Participants
from Missouri and Kansas exercised their plans and worked
together to determine the best way to respond as a region
to address priority prophylaxis and SNS dispensing issues.
The exercise incorporated the use of WebEOC. WebEOC
is a crisis management tool used by local jurisdictions
in the Kansas City metro area to share information during
large events. The training included a functional set-up
of a dispensing site for mass prophylaxis. The intent
was to expose first responders to the set-up and operations
of a dispensing site and discuss their role in providing
mass prophylaxis to the general public.
Ohio Governor’s TOPOFF HSEEP Exercise
for the State of Ohio, Bureau of Public Health
Preparedness (August 2006): This Top Officials Exercise,
developed specifically for the Governor’s Office
and Top Officials within the State, provided a forum
for discussion of key policy issues identified during
the initial SNS Table-Top Exercise held for operational
level personnel within the state. The goal of the exercise
was to establish a learning environment to evaluate
emergency response capabilities and procedures for supporting
the activation of the Ohio SNS Plan. The exercise focused
on executive policy issues, triggers for emergency response,
state agency roles in supporting the SNS Plan, and communications
between agencies, with the media and the public.
The exercise was designed to:
1. Build partnerships between agencies within the State
by addressing similar concerns related to SNS activation.
2. Assess the response and recovery capabilities of
agencies impacted by a pandemic event affecting the
entire State.
3. Improve the operational readiness of the State for
response and recovery efforts related to catastrophic
events, and augment the capabilities to continue essential
functions without major delay.
4. Provide a forum for discussion of executive policy
issues such as legislative initiatives for non-medical
personnel providing healthcare services, medical liabilities,
altered standards of care and military/law enforcement
rules of engagement.
5. Assist agencies in assessing, validating, and updating
their internal plans for supporting SNS activation by
highlighting improvement opportunities.
The exercise was well represented by Top Officials
from the following agencies:
- Ohio Department of Administrative Services
- Ohio Department of Health
- Ohio Emergency Management Agency
- Ohio National Guard
- Ohio Office of Homeland Security
- Ohio Department of Transportation
- Ohio State Highway Patrol
Ohio Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) HSEEP
Table-Top Exercise for the State of Ohio, Bureau
of Public Health Preparedness (August 2006): The purpose
of this exercise was to demonstrate the elements and
protocols that must be in place at the state level in
order to activate the SNS in Ohio, the flow of communication
that is necessary for an event of this nature, and each
state agency’s roles and responsibilities in the
command and control structure (e.g. how decisions are
made and who is responsible for each decision). This
exercise provided a means to assess policies, resources,
communication and coordination, as well as command and
control for state agencies at the operational level
as it relates to SNS activation to be able to deal with
a large scale incident involving the entire state such
as a Pandemic Outbreak.
TOPOFF Pandemic Influenza HSEEP Exercise and
Pandemic Influenza HSEEP Table-Top Exercise for
Seminole County, Florida (April 2006): CIS conducted
one Table-Top Exercise for all operational units and
another TOPOFF Exercise for the Seminole County Department
of Public Safety - Emergency Management Division. Both
exercises focused on a Pandemic Influenza Event. The
first exercise was for all county/city departments including
public health, hospitals, EMS, emergency management,
fire-rescue, police and other ESF components. The second
exercise, which focused on key policy issues, was a
Top Officials (TOPOFF) exercise for elected officials
and other decision-makers.
The purpose of these exercises was to focus on planning
elements that must be in place at the county/city level
in order to mitigate the impact of a pandemic to the
region, the flow of communication that is necessary
for an event of this nature, and each county/city agency’s
roles and responsibilities in responding to such an
event. These exercises provided a means to assess policies,
resources, communication and coordination, as well as
command and control for county/city agencies at the
operational level and Top Officials at the executive
level.
Ohio Joint Information Center (JIC) Public
Health and Terrorism HSEEP Functional Exercise
for the State of Ohio, Department of Health (August,
2007): CIS conducted a Functional Exercise for the Ohio
Department of Health and Ohio Emergency Management Agency
where a Field JIC and a State “Home Base”
JIC was activated. The purpose of the exercise was to
demonstrate the elements and protocols that must be
in place at the state level in order to manage the flow
of information surrounding a Public Health crisis and
simultaneous terrorist related events. Objectives included
the following:
- Deciding on, making preparations for and launching
a Field JIC.
- Evaluate communications (technical) between the
Field and State JIC.
- Proper use of radio and other electronic communications.
- Evaluate communications (accurate information)
between the Field and State JIC.
- Providing information from the Field JIC to the
State JIC for writing press releases.
- Providing information from the State JIC to the
Field JIC for interviews.
- Media monitoring for accuracy of information.
- Prepare multiple talking points for news conferences.
- Prepare answers for the 25 most probable questions
from the media.
Progress Energy Corp. TOPOFF Pandemic Influenza
HSEEP Functional Exercise for North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia and Florida (August 2006): CIS
conducted a Functional Exercise for Progress Energy
key operational units and Top Officials responsible
for maintaining critical energy infrastructure operations
during a pandemic event in North Carolina, South Carolina,
Georgia and Florida. The exercise focused on the implementation
of emergency response actions needed to continue essential
functions which would allow critical infrastructure
operations to continue despite high rates of absenteeism
in the work place and disruptions to the delivery of
supplies from outside vendors. Operational business
units interacted with each other to resolve problems
posed by inject information during the exercise. Operational
business units also interfaced with the Executive Crisis
Management Center to provide updates, proposed solutions
and obtain executive direction for major issues affecting
the power grid and company personnel.
Biological Agent HSEEP TTX, Miami-Dade
County, Florida (August 2005): “Operation Network
Connections” was a TTX held in August, 2005, for
ETSD (the County’s main IT support complex). This
exercise gave participants an opportunity to evaluate
current plans, procedures and capabilities in an attempt
to recover from a biological event which caused evacuation
of critical facilities within the county. The exercise
focused on key Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)
components including mission essential functions, orders
of succession, alternate facilities, communications,
emergency notification and personnel accountability
procedures along with vital records and databases in
an attempt to return normalcy to the department.
Pandemic Influenza/NIMS-ICS HSEEP Table-Top
Workshops (3), for the State of Vermont (February
2006): CIS has developed and presented HSEEP Table-Top
Workshops for the State of Vermont Local Emergency Planning
Councils (LEPCs). The main focus was on how to develop
and implement an emergency plan for a Pandemic Influenza
event. Training also highlighted key points in managing
an event under the National Incident Management System-Incident
Command System (NIMS-ICS).
Earthquake HSEEP Table-Top Exercise,
Cincinnati Water Works (March 2006): This exercise involved
an earthquake scenario causing the destruction of key
infrastructure and a possible mass-contamination of
the drinking water of over 1,000,000 people. The exercise
tested their ability to function under NIMS-ICS, and
operate independently of the local Emergency Operations
Center (EOC). Continuity of Operations Planning was
also evaluated as part of the exercise.
Hurricane HSEEP TTX’s for Miami-Dade
County, Florida (August – September 2005): Critical
Incident Solutions recently designed, conducted and
evaluated a total of 5 TTXs in Miami-Dade County with
28 different departments participating. One exercise
involved multiple acts of terrorism with targeting of
critical infrastructure and numerous government facilities.
The second involved a biological agent which contaminated
a critical facility within the county. The building
had to be evacuated and could not be reoccupied for
a significant amount of time. This forced activation
of Continuity of Operations Plans in order to provide
essential services that the entire county relied upon.
The other exercises involved natural disasters which
affected all government agencies, emergency services
and private industry. Significant after action items
were identified as a result of conducting these exercises.
 Critical
Incident Solutions’ exercise strategy supports the
"Three Pillars" of the National Strategy for
Pandemic Influenza:
- Preparedness and Communication
Activities that should be undertaken before a pandemic
to ensure preparedness, and the communication of roles
and responsibilities to all levels of government,
segments of society and individuals.
- Surveillance and Detection
Domestic and international systems that provide continuous
"situational awareness," to ensure the earliest
warning possible to protect the population.
- Response and Containment
Actions to limit the spread of the outbreak and to
mitigate the health, social and economic impacts of
a pandemic.
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