JAN 08

Developing exercise objectives

Curtis R. Mast, MS, NREMT-P, MEP

Public Health Analyst/Exercise Coordinator

CDC/COTPER/DSNS

JAN 08

Briefing Objective

• Provide Technical Assistance to Project Areas on developing HSEEP compliant exercise objectives specific to the SNS using the Technical Assistance Review tool to improve public health emergency preparedness activities.

JAN 08

Homeland Security Exercise and

Evaluation Program (HSEEP)

• Volume I: HSEEP Overview and Exercise Program Management

• Volume II: Exercise Planning and Conduct

• Volume III: Exercise Evaluation and Improvement Planning

• Volume IV: Library: Sample Exercise Materials

https://www.hseep.dhs.gov/

JAN 08

•DISCUSSION BASED

– Seminar

– Workshop

– Tabletop Exercise (TTX)

– Games, Models, Simulation

•OPERATIONS BASED

– Drills

– Functional Exercise (FE)

– Full-Scale Exercise (FSE)

HSEEP Exercise Types

JAN 08

HSEEP Compliance

“…as adherence to specific HSEEP-mandated practices for exercise program management, design, development, conduct, evaluation, and improvement planning. In order for an entity to be considered HSEEP compliant it must satisfy four distinct performance requirements: 1.Conducting an annual Training and Exercise Plan Workshop and developing and maintaining a Multi-year Training and Exercise Plan.2.Planning and conducting exercises in accordance with the guidelines set forth in HSEEP Volumes I-III.3. Developing and submitting a properly formatted After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP). The format for the AAR/IP is found in HSEEP Volume III.4.Tracking and implementing corrective actions identified in the AAR/IP”

JAN 08

National Preparedness Goal National Planning Scenarios

Target Capabilities List Capabilities Based Planning

Exercise Evaluation Guides

How LOCAL Exercises affect

NATIONAL Preparedness

Exercise Objectives

JAN 08

Exercise Goals vs.

Exercise Objectives

Goal (Def): the end toward which effort is directed

Promote advance planning between health departments, hospitals, and other agencies

JAN 08

Exercise Objectives

Serve as the basis for evaluation of the exercise

Plans,Standards,

& Criteria

(EOP, SOP)

SystematicExerciseEvaluation

ExerciseObjectives

Serves to frame the exerciseProvides the framework for scenarioAides in working with contractors

JAN 08

Characteristics of Good

Objectives

Who....should do

What...under what

Conditions...according to what

Standards

JAN 08

SMART Objectives

JAN 08

How to Develop Objectives

1. Select capabilities from the TCL based on the type and scope of the exercise.

2. Analyze the associated critical tasks for the selected capability.

3. Tailor objectives to the local jurisdiction and exercise-specific information.

JAN 08

Selecting the Target Capabilities

1. Select capabilities from the TCL based on the type and scope of the exercise

• Onscene incident management

• Weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and/or hazardous

materials (HazMat) response and decontamination

• Medical surge

JAN 08

Selecting the Critical Tasks

Let’s use WMD/

HazMat response and

decontamination

2. Analyze the

associated critical

tasks for the selected

capabilityInclude picture of

Associated Critical

tasks for Medical

Surge – highlight

task 3.3.1.2

JAN 08

Selecting the Critical Tasks

JAN 08

Writing Objectives

Tailor objectives to the federal and/or local jurisdiction and exercise-specific information

• Apply SMART principal

• Include action, condition, and standard

Sample Objective: Evaluate Responder’s ability to establish and perform

victim decontamination in accordance with applicable regulations and

standards during a chemical incident.

JAN 08

Exercise Objectives

Good Example

Upon receipt of a suspect Category A agent case the Health Director develops and issues a Health Alert Network (HAN)

message within 90 minutes

JAN 08

Writing Objectives

for Discussion Based Exercises

• Objectives for discussion-based exercises typically focus on strategic, policy-oriented issues, while objectives for operations-based exercises typically focus on integration of multiple entities and systems-level and tactical level issues.

(Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Course, Participant Manual, July 2007)

JAN 08

Writing Objectives

for Discussion Based Exercises

The ANYTOWN Hospital Association and the ANYTOWN Public Health Department will discuss and identify gaps in policy related issues related to the ANYTOWN Public Health Emergency Response Plan in a Tabletop Exercise

JAN 08

Developing exercise objectives

using the DSNS Technical

Assistance Review (TAR) Tool

JAN 08

SNS 12 Core Functions

• Developing an SNS Plan

• Management of

SNS/Command & Control

• Requesting SNS

• Tactical Communications

• Public Information &

Communication

• Security

• Regional/Local RSS

• Controlling Inventory

• Distribution

• Dispensing

• Treatment Center

• Training, Exercise &

Evaluation

JAN 08

JAN 08

HSEEP Method for Developing an

Objective

SNS Function Item ObjectivesSNS Function

JAN 08

SNS 12 Core Functions

• Developing an SNS Plan

• Management of

SNS/Command & Control

• Requesting SNS

• Tactical Communications

• Public Information &

Communication

• Security

• Regional/Local RSS

• Controlling Inventory

• Distribution

• Dispensing

• Treatment Center

• Training, Exercise &

Evaluation

JAN 08

Section Nine: DistributionSNS Function

Function Item

JAN 08

Section Nine: Distribution

SNS Function Function Item Objectives

JAN 08

Section Nine: Distribution

SNS Function Function Item Objectives

State Police will provide an approved POD delivery route tothe RSS Incident Commander within 90 minutes

JAN 08

So why are we here?

JAN 08

So why are we here?

ASTHO SurveyUsefulness of DSNS-Developed Tools & Resources

0.000.501.001.502.002.503.003.504.004.50

SN

S O

verv

iew

& G

uida

nce

...

Gen

eral

SN

S L

ists

erv

Sta

te S

NS

Lis

tser

v

SN

S E

xtra

net

SN

S E

xerc

ise

Wor

kbook

Fac

t She

ets

Loca

l SN

S T

echn

ical

Ass

is...

Sta

te S

NS

Tech

nic

al A

ssis

...

PPB

Con

sulta

nt

Tool or Resource

# o

f R

es

po

ns

es

All State Local

JAN 08

DSNS Exercise

Workbook

JAN 08

History

In September 2003, the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) Program convened a panel of subject matter experts (SME) comprised of federal, state and local officials, from across the nation.

Their original mission was to develop a tabletop exercise (TTX) that jurisdictions could use to exercise their SNS plans and protocols.

After several hours of debate, the group acknowledged that state and local jurisdictions have the expertise (either in-house or at-hand via contractors) to design and execute their own exercises. The group further decided that a better product would be a workbook. Exercise designers could repeatedly utilize this type of book to build orenhance any level of exercise (tabletop to full-scale).

This workbook is a result of that group's efforts.

JAN 08

HistoryWhat’s happened since?

JAN 08

The Road Ahead

JAN 08

The Road Ahead

• Review DSNS TAR tool with S/L partners to develop list of objectives

• Gather input from S/L partners on critical elements for DSNS Exercise Workbook

JAN 08

Thank You!!

Questions/Comments

Curtis Mast

404-639-2229

zgo6@cdc.gov