Exercise Types.pdf

75N96020Q00001

ATTACHMENT

EXERCISE TYPES

The NIEHS will employ two different categories of exercises as described in the FEMA HSEEP:

Discussion- and Operations-based exercises. The Contractor shall be tasked with assistance, consulting, documentation, and facilitation for these events by task order. The HSEEP guidance is provided below as the standard guidance for this category of events to baseline the expectations for each activity. Reference: FEMA HSEEP

Discussion-Based Exercises:

Discussion-based exercises include seminars, workshops, tabletop exercises (TTXs), and games.

These types of exercises can be used to familiarize players with, or develop new, plans, policies, agreements, and procedures. Discussion-based exercises focus on strategic, policy-oriented issues. Facilitators and/or presenters usually lead the discussion, keeping participants on track towards meeting exercise objectives.

Seminars

Seminars generally orient participants to, or provide an overview of, authorities, strategies, plans, policies, procedures, protocols, resources, concepts, and ideas. As a discussion-based exercise, seminars can be valuable for entities that are developing or making major changes to existing plans or procedures. Seminars can be similarly helpful when attempting to assess or gain awareness of the capabilities of interagency or inter-jurisdictional operations.

Workshops

Although similar to seminars, workshops differ in two important aspects: participant interaction is increased, and the focus is placed on achieving or building a product. Effective workshops entail the broadest attendance by relevant stakeholders.

Products produced from a workshop can include new standard operating procedures (SOPs), emergency operations plans, continuity of operations plans, or mutual aid agreements. To be effective, workshops should have clearly defined objectives, products, or goals, and should focus on a specific issue.

Tabletop Exercises

A Tabletop Exercise (TTX) is intended to generate discussion of various issues regarding a hypothetical, simulated emergency. TTXs can be used to enhance general awareness, validate plans and procedures, rehearse concepts, and/or assess the types of systems needed to guide the prevention of, protection from, mitigation of, response to, and recovery from a defined incident.

Generally, TTXs are aimed at facilitating conceptual understanding, identifying strengths and areas for improvement, and/or achieving changes in perceptions.

During a TTX, players are encouraged to discuss issues in depth, collaboratively examining areas of concern and solving problems. The effectiveness of a TTX is derived from the energetic involvement of participants and their assessment of recommended revisions to current policies, procedures, and plans.

TTXs can range from basic to complex. In a basic TTX (such as a Facilitated Discussion), the scenario is presented and remains constant—it describes an emergency and brings discussion participants up to the simulated present time. Players apply their knowledge and skills to a list of problems presented by the facilitator; problems are discussed as a group; and resolution is reached and documented for later analysis.

In a more advanced TTX, play advances as players receive pre-scripted messages that alter the original scenario. A facilitator usually introduces problems one at a time in the form of a written message, simulated telephone call, videotape, or other means. Players discuss the issues raised by each problem, referencing established authorities, plans, and procedures for guidance. Player decisions are incorporated as the scenario continues to unfold.

During a TTX, all participants should be encouraged to contribute to the discussion and be reminded that they are making decisions in a no-fault environment. Effective TTX facilitation is critical to keeping participants focused on exercise objectives and associated capability targets.

Games

A game is a simulation of operations that often involves two or more teams, usually in a competitive environment, using rules, data, and procedures designed to depict an actual or hypothetical situation. Games explore the consequences of player decisions and actions. They are useful tools for validating plans and procedures or evaluating resource requirements.

During game play, decision-making may be either slow and deliberate or rapid and more stressful, depending on the exercise design and objectives. The open, decision-based format of a game can incorporate “what if” questions that expand exercise benefits. Depending on the game’s design, the consequences of player actions can be either pre-scripted or decided dynamically. Identifying critical decision-making points is a major factor in the success of evaluating a game.

Operations-Based Exercises:

Operations-based exercises include drills, functional exercises (FEs), and full-scale exercises (FSEs). These exercises can be used to validate plans, policies, agreements, and procedures;

clarify roles and responsibilities; and identify resource gaps. Operations-based exercises are characterized by actual reaction to an exercise scenario, such as initiating communications or mobilizing personnel and resources.

Drills

A drill is a coordinated, supervised activity usually employed to validate a specific function or capability in a single agency or organization. Drills are commonly used to provide training on new equipment, validate procedures, or practice and maintain current skills. Drills can be used to determine if plans can be executed as designed, to assess whether more training is required, or to reinforce best practices. A drill is useful as a stand-alone tool, but a series of drills can be used to prepare several organizations to collaborate in an FSE. For every drill, clearly defined plans, procedures, and protocols need to be in place. Personnel need to be familiar with those plans and trained in the processes and procedures to be drilled.

Functional Exercises

Functional Exercises (Fes) are designed to validate and evaluate capabilities, multiple functions and/or sub-functions, or interdependent groups of functions. FEs are typically focused on exercising plans, policies, procedures, and staff members involved in management, direction, command, and control functions. In FEs, events are projected through an exercise scenario with event updates that drive activity typically at the management level. An FE is conducted in a realistic, real-time environment; however, movement of personnel and equipment is usually simulated. FE controllers typically use a Master Scenario Events List (MSEL) to ensure participant activity remains within predefined boundaries and ensure exercise objectives are accomplished. Simulators in a Simulation Cell (SimCell) can inject scenario elements to simulate real events.

Full-Scale Exercises

Full-Scale Exercises (FSEs) are typically the most complex and resource-intensive type of exercise. They involve multiple agencies, organizations, and jurisdictions and validate many facets of preparedness. FSEs often include many players operating under cooperative systems such as the Incident Command System (ICS) or Unified Command. In an FSE, events are projected through an exercise scenario with event updates that drive activity at the operational level. FSEs are usually conducted in a real-time, stressful environment that is intended to mirror a real incident. Personnel and resources may be mobilized and deployed to the scene, where actions are performed as if a real incident had occurred. The FSE simulates reality by presenting complex and realistic problems that require critical thinking, rapid problem solving, and effective responses by trained personnel. The level of support needed to conduct an FSE is greater than that needed for other types of exercises. The exercise site for an FSE is usually large, and site logistics require close monitoring. Safety issues, particularly regarding the use of props and special effects, must be monitored. Throughout the duration of the exercise, many activities occur simultaneously.

Exercise Documentation:

Comprehensive, organized exercise documentation is critical to ensure an accurate account of the exercise.

Security and accessibility are important when developing documentation. Exercise documentation ensures that an accurate account of the exercise is preserved, which allows organizations to leverage past documentation to support future exercises.

Document Title Exercise Type Distribution Audience

Situation Manual (SitMan) Seminar, Workshop, TTX, Game

All Participants

Facilitator Guide Seminar, Workshop, TTX, Game

Facilitators

Multimedia Presentation Seminar, Workshop, TTX, Game

All Participants

Exercise Plan (ExPlan) Drill, FE, FSE Players and Observers

Controller and Evaluator (C/E) Handbook

Drill, FE, FSE Controllers and Evaluators

Master Scenario Events List

(MSEL)

Drill, FE, FSE, Complex TTX, Game

Controllers, Evaluators, and Simulators

Extent of Play Agreement

(XPA)

FE, FSE Exercise Planning Team

Exercise Evaluation Guides (EEGs)

TTX, Game, Drill, FE, FSE Evaluators

Participant Feedback Form All Exercises All Participants

Exercise Plan (ExPlan)

Exercise Plans, or ExPlans, are provided for operations-based exercises to provide participants with a synopsis of the exercise.

They are published and distributed to the participating organizations following the development of most of the critical elements of the exercise.

The ExPlan is intended to be seen by the exercise players and observers—therefore, it does not contain detailed scenario information that may reduce the realism of the exercise. Players and observers should review all elements of the ExPlan prior to exercise participation.

Multimedia Presentation

Multimedia presentations are often used to illustrate the general scenario for participants. This helps focus and drive the exercise as well as add realism. Audio/visual (A/V) enhancements to a presentation include video or sounds that convey information to participants.

Presentations are given at the Start of Exercise (StartEx) and support the SitMan. The presentation should concisely summarize information contained in the written documentation.

Like the SitMan, the multimedia presentation is divided into distinct, chronologically segmented modules that, when combined, create the entire scenario.

This presentation typically contains the following information:

Introduction

Exercise scope, objectives, and core capabilities

Exercise play rules and administrative information

Modules describing the scenario

Facilitator Guide

A Facilitator Guide is designed to help facilitators manage a discussion-based exercise.

It usually outlines instructions and key issues for discussion during the event and provides background information to help the facilitator answer questions from participants or players.

This guide may also include an evaluation section that provides evaluation staff members with guidance and instructions on evaluation or observation methodology to be used as well as essential materials required to execute their specific functions.

The Controller/Evaluator (C/E) Handbook

The Controller/Evaluator Handbook (C/E Handbook) is the primary evaluation documentation for the exercise. It is used as an instructional manual for controllers and evaluators and is sometimes called the Evaluation Plan. Because the C/E Handbook contains information about the scenario and about exercise administration, it is only distributed to individuals designated as controllers or evaluators.

The controller portion of the handbook, also known as the Control Staff Instructions (COSIN), provides guidelines for control and simulation support and establishes a management structure for the activities.

The evaluator portion of the handbook, sometimes known as the EvalPlan, provides evaluation staff with guidance and instruction on evaluation or observation methodology, as well as essential materials required to perform their specific functions.

The C/E Handbook may be a standalone document or a supplement to the Exercise Plan (ExPlan). When used as a supplement, it points readers to the ExPlan for general exercise information. When used as a standalone document, it should instead include the exercise information. The C/E Handbook may also be broken into separate controller and evaluator versions.

Additional Exercise Documentation:

Extent of Play Agreements (XPAs) - XPAs are agreements formed between the exercise sponsor and participating organizations. Specific details of participant involvement are identified, such as, one fire company, with two ambulances for 5 hours. These agreements can be vital to exercise planning, evaluator recruitment, and development of support requirements.

Exercise Evaluation Guides (EEGs) - Exercise Evaluation Guides (EEGs) provide evaluators with a checklist of critical tasks to be completed by participants during an exercise. EEGs contain the information to be discussed by participants, space to record evaluator observations, and questions to consider after the exercise.

Participant feedback form - The participant feedback form should be given to participants during exercise wrap-up. At a minimum, ask participants for feedback on the strengths and opportunities for improvement based on the organization's plans, policies, SOPs and their impressions on the exercise conduct and logistics.

This is not an all-inclusive list of required documentation, this is an overview of the major documentation required by exercise type. Information is found in the FEMA HSEEP.