Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
addressed during the exercise. The design team also addresses the location,
agenda, invitees, and other topics. The design team decides it would be help-
ful to have several presenters provide a short lecture of their operations and
procedures. The presenters are identified and later invited to speak. You estab-
lish the date for the next meeting and announce that you will be sending out
a draft of the SITMAN for their review and input.
During the next month, you develop a SITMAN addressing the topics
described by the state and the input provided by the design team. Before
the third design team meeting, you send out a draft of the SITMAN for the
design team to review and provide comments. At the third design team meet-
ing, you address the comments and any additional changes that the group
wishes to make to the SITMAN.
TIP BOX 10.4
Do not expect to complete all the questions and topics in the SITMAN.
As the participants work through particular issues, it may be found that a
particular task is extremely important and deserves the time and discussion
to address it. It is impossible to determine in advance which items and tasks
will need more time and attention since this is something that will be driven
by the participants. Just make sure to keep them on track and address the
issues.
You also present a list of injects that may be used during the exercise. These
injects will include specific messages and scenario information that will be
provided to the particular breakout groups. Injects are messages of the status
or operations from an outside source that provoke or steer exercise activities
in a particular direction.
The final list of invitees is defined, an invitation letter is crafted, and a public
information release is designed in the event that officials need to describe the
exercise to outside parties. All participating agencies procure approval from
management to participate.
An invitation is sent out to the invitees asking them to respond whether they
can attend or not. The invitations includes a description of the exercise and
the objectives, potential participants, and a statement that this is not a regula-
tory and enforcement activity but rather a nonjudgmental exercise to improve
plans and procedures.
Before the exercise, the design team holds a final meeting to ensure that all
issues have been addressed and that the SITMAN can be sent out to all the
participants. (An example of a State Level Tabletop Exercise SITMAN is
located in Appendix A.)
