Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Variations on a Theme
Tabletop Exercises.........................................................................................249
Examples of Tabletop Exercises.................................................................253
Exercise Conduct ..............................................................................................259
Sample Injects...............................................................................................259
Hotwash .......................................................................................................259
After Action Report and Implementation Plan ............................................ 260
Variations on Tabletop Designs and Conduct ...............................................261
Appendix A. Sample SITMAN and AAR/IP .....................................................262
Introduction
I often hear “I wish there was an exercise in a box I could go purchase somewhere,” or
“I have a great idea for my exercise but don't know how to do it,” or “My organization is
required to have exercises but I don't have the time or money” and many other requests.
The choices are few; for example, hire a contractor to design and deliver an exer-
cise for you, participate in someone else's exercise, or stop what you are doing for
a week and take an expensive exercise course. Another option is to study the many
resources and guides available for exercise design and implementation that, honestly,
are often difficult to follow and apply, if not complicated and scary. Most people do
not have the time, training, or funding. Even exercise experts are sometimes driven
to find more simplified tools and templates that they can modify for their own use.
This publication addresses discussion-based exercises including seminars, work-
shops, tabletops, and games. The sections that are presented include discussion-
based exercises and operations-based exercises. This is followed by appendices with
templates that can be adapted for your use.
The material is designed to provide, in a very concise and direct manner, the steps
and processes that can be taken to carry out a discussion-based exercise. It allows
the user to be creative, use their own ideas, and adapt the information to suit their
needs and organizational structure. It is designed for public and private organizations
including corporations, municipalities, public health organizations, and hospitals,
in addition to the many roles that may be involved including students, emer-
gency managers, firefighters, planners, utility engineers, and municipal managers.
Regardless of the need or organization, this material is meant to be applicable and
modified to meet your specific needs. This material will allow you to make an
assessment of your broader emergency management, crisis management, continu-
ity of operations capabilities, and capacity to develop a programmatic approach to
enhance and improve the strength of your operations.
This material will guide you through a step-by-step process to achieve the following:
◾
Steps to evaluate and enhance your organizations' crisis management, emer-
gency management, and continuity of operations
