Columbia Chemical Calamity Full-Scale Exercise For Official Use Only. Exercise Playbook

Transcription

1 Exercise Playbook Columbia Chemical Calamity A HazMat Response Full-Scale Exercise February 20, 2015 Columbia County Emergency Management Department Hazardous Haze Full-Scale Exercise For Official Use Only

2 Preface The purpose of the Exercise Playbook is to aid exercise planners in the design of an effective exercise and to enable Participants to understand their roles and responsibilities in exercise planning, execution, and evaluation. This document was produced in collaboration with the Columbia County Emergency Management Department. Exercises are the culmination of training toward a collective level of preparedness. Documentation such as this Exercise Playbook maps the course to improving collective readiness. ii Page

3 ADMINISTRATIVE HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS 1. The title of this document is the Columbia Chemical Calamity Full-Scale Exercise Playbook. 2. Reproduction of this document, in whole or in part, without prior written approval from the Columbia County Emergency Management Department is prohibited. 3. For information on this exercise, please contact the following points of contact (POCs): Columbia County Emergency Management Department: Shayne Morgan # 2 Disaster Resistant Communities Group: Chris Floyd chrisfloyd@drc-group.com iii Page

4 TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface... ii Chapter 1: General Information... 1 A. EXERCISE CONCEPT AND PURPOSE... 1 B. EXERCISE OBJECTIVES... 2 C. CORE CAPABILITIES... 2 D. EXERCISE SCENARIO... 2 Chapter 2: Exercise Participants... 4 A. EXERCISE STAFF... 4 B. PLAYER INSTRUCTIONS... 5 Chapter 3: Exercise Operations... 6 A. EXERCISE SUMMARY... 6 B. EXERCISE EVENTS AND BRIEFINGS... 6 C. SAFETY REQUIREMENTS... 7 D. ACCIDENT REPORTING AND REAL EMERGENCIES... 7 Chapter 4: Exercise Logistics... 9 A. GENERAL... 9 B. SITE SECURITY... 9 C. REGISTRATION AREA D. COMMUNICATIONS PLAN E. PUBLIC AFFAIRS Chapter 5: Evaluation and Post-Exercise Activities A. AFTER ACTION REPORT B. IMPROVEMENT PLAN Appendix A: Schedule of Events Appendix B: Communications Directory Appendix C: Site Maps iv Page

5 Chapter 1: General Information A. EXERCISE CONCEPT AND PURPOSE General. The Columbia Chemical Calamity Full-Scale Exercise is designed to establish a learning environment for players to exercise the information learned during the course of instruction, to include agency roles and responsibilities utilizing existing policies and procedures in response to planned and/or overwhelming emergency events. Purpose. The purpose of the exercise is to validate plans, policies and procedures, as well as an opportunity to for response agencies to coordinate response activities in a realistic scenario. Scope. This exercise was developed to provide a mechanism to measure the effectiveness of a coordinated response to an incident occurring at Florida Gateway College. The exercise will follow the structure of an announced, pre-planned, full-scale exercise in which the participants are aware of the time, date and general hazard being tested. All events will be conducted in a manner that presents as a realistic scenario. Controllers and Evaluators will provide information (injects) in real-time. The focus of this real-time (non-compressed) exercise will deal with immediate emergency response and the related planning and recovery issues involved in a chemical release with contaminated victims. This exercise will not address the causes of the hazards and events, but rather the effective and efficient response of the county s emergency response teams and how they work together to address the impacts of this hazard. This simulated exercise will involve actual field personnel, victims and scenarios. Assumptions. The following general assumptions apply to the Columbia Chemical Calamity Full-Scale Exercise: The exercise will be conducted in a no-fault learning environment, wherein systems and processes, not individuals, are evaluated. Exercise simulation will be realistic and plausible, containing sufficient detail for an effective response. Exercise Players will react to the information and situations as they are presented in the same manner as if it was a real emergency incident. The goals and objectives of the exercise are consistent with functional area operations and technical plans and procedures, whenever possible, as long as safety, cost effectiveness, and common sense are not compromised. Exercise Players have had the opportunity prior to the exercise to review their agencies respective Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs) and Players understand their specific roles and responsibilities. 1 Page

6 Artificialities. In any exercise a number of artificialities may be necessary to complete play in the time allotted. During this exercise, the following apply: The participants may need to balance exercise play with real-world emergencies. It is understood that real-world emergencies will take priority. The exercise will be played in real time. Some events, however, may be accelerated to meet exercise objectives. Injects, as part of a larger scripted Master Scenario Events List (MSEL), will be used to prompt action as needed. The scenario is plausible, and events occur as they are presented. There is no hidden agenda, nor any trick questions. Exercise Security. Security for this exercise will be coordinated by the participating local response agencies and will be handled by the appropriate local authority. Exercise Safety. Safety throughout the exercise is paramount. Safety issues are detailed in Chapter 3: Exercise Operations of this Exercise Playbook, including procedures for initiating a response to real-world emergencies. B. EXERCISE OBJECTIVES The Exercise Planning Committee established the following Goals and Objectives for this exercise. All exercise goals will be demonstrated during the exercise. Public Information / Community Notification Incident Command Structure Decontamination Resource Management Site Security C. CORE CAPABILITIES Capabilities-based planning focuses on planning under uncertainty because the next danger or disaster can never be forecast with complete accuracy. Therefore, capabilities-based planning takes an all-hazards approach to planning and preparation that builds capabilities that can be applied to a wide variety of incidents. The Core Capabilities selected for this exercise are: Citizen Notification HazMat Response and Decontamination On-Site Incident Management Public Safety and Security Response D. EXERCISE SCENARIO Variables are used for the development of the scenario and the overall structure of the Columbia Chemical Calamity Full-Scale Exercise. The Exercise Planning Committee 2 Page

7 selected the following variables for inclusion in this exercise scenario: A community college chemistry laboratory explosion that involves hazardous materials. A multi-jurisdictional, multi-agency response involving Law Enforcement, Fire, EMS, HazMat, Emergency Management and college personnel. Other scenario components to prompt command post and college personnel decisions. 3 Page

8 A. EXERCISE STAFF Chapter 2: Exercise Participants Exercise Director. The Exercise Director is responsible for planning, coordinating, and overseeing all exercise functions. He manages exercise activities and maintains a close dialogue with the Senior Controller regarding the status of play and the achievement of the exercise design objectives. Senior Controller. The Senior Controller is responsible for the overall organization of the exercise and takes direction from the Exercise Director. The Senior Controller monitors exercise progress and coordinates decisions regarding deviations or significant changes to the scenario caused by unexpected developments during play. The Senior Controller monitors actions by individual Controllers and ensures that they implement all designated and modified actions at the appropriate time. The Senior Controller debriefs Controllers and Evaluators after the exercise and oversees the setup and takedown of the exercise. The Senior Controller is also responsible for the following: 1. Monitoring exercise progress and coordinating decisions regarding any deviations or significant changes to the scenario caused by unexpected developments during play. 2. Monitoring actions by individual Controllers to ensure that all appropriate actions are taken to manage an effective exercise. 3. Coordinating any required modifications to the timeline and individual event implementers with the appropriate functional area Controller. Safety Controller. The Safety Controller is responsible for monitoring exercise safety during exercise setup, conduct, and cleanup. All exercise participants must assist the Safety Controller by reporting any safety concerns. Controllers. Controllers are exercise participants who plan and manage exercise play, set up and operate the exercise incident site, and act in the roles of response individuals and agencies not actually playing in the exercise. Controllers and Simulators provide key data to players and may prompt or initiate certain player actions to ensure exercise continuity. Controllers are the only participants who will provide information or direction to players. Any changes that impact the scenario or affect other areas of play must be coordinated through the Senior Controller, who will coordinate with the Exercise Director. Evaluators. Evaluators are chosen to evaluate and provide feedback on a designated functional area of the exercise. They are chosen based on their expertise in the functional area(s) they have been assigned to review during the exercise and their familiarity with local emergency response procedures. Evaluators assess and document participants performance against established emergency plans and exercise evaluation criteria, in accordance with HSEEP standards. They are typically chosen from amongst 4 Page

9 planning committee members or the agencies/organizations that are participating in the exercise. Actors (Simulated Victims). Actors simulate specific roles during exercise play. They typically are volunteers who have been recruited to play the role of victims or other bystanders. Observers. Observers are selected agency/government personnel or VIPs who are invited to view all or selected portions of exercise play. Observers do not participate in exercise play or in exercise control functions. Players. Players are agency personnel who have an active role in responding to the incident by performing their regular roles and responsibilities during the exercise scenario. Players initiate actions that will control and mitigate the simulated emergency. B. PLAYER INSTRUCTIONS Before the Exercise. Players must pre-register online via the Columbia Chemical Calamity Full-Scale Exercise registration system prior to the exercise date. Players will also be required to sign in prior to the exercise on February 20, 2015 between 0845 and During the Exercise. Players must take the following actions during the exercise: Respond to the exercise events and information as if the emergency were real, unless otherwise directed by a Controller. Refrain from personal conversations with Controllers, Evaluators, Observers, or media personnel while the exercise is in progress. If Players do not understand the scope of the exercise or are uncertain about an organization s or agency s participation in an exercise, they should ask a Controller. Parts of the scenario may seem implausible. Players should recognize that the purpose of the exercise is to satisfy the objectives developed by the Exercise Planning Committee, and aspects of exercise play may therefore seem unrealistic. All exercise communication will begin and end with the phrase This is an exercise. This is a precaution taken so anyone overhearing the conversation will not mistake exercise play for a real-world emergency. After Exercise Play. At the end of the exercise, Players should participate in a Group Hotwash with Controllers and Evaluators. Following the Group Hotwash each Player will login to the ONX System to submit their individual Hotwash and access their Certificate of Participation. 5 Page

10 Chapter 3: Exercise Operations A. EXERCISE SUMMARY GENERAL. The Columbia Chemical Calamity Full-Scale Exercise is designed to establish a learning environment for Players to exercise their abilities to coordinate multi-agency response to a hazardous materials transportation incident. The Columbia Chemical Calamity Exercise will be conducted on February 20, 2015 beginning at 0900 hours. Exercise play is scheduled for between two and three hours or until the Exercise Director determines that the exercise objectives have been met at all exercise sites. Exercise Locations will include: Florida Gateway College The actions of participating agencies will be in response to events outlined in the MSEL. The basis for actions will be a combination of existing department procedures and directives. Therefore, the MSEL is limited in scope, serving as a catalyst for initial actions and as a list of projected operational milestones. The MSEL allows the exercise control staff to ensure that the exercise stays on track and meets exercise objectives. In order to ensure that exercise objectives are met, the Senior Controller may identify additional actions or adjustments required during the exercise. B. EXERCISE EVENTS AND BRIEFINGS Evaluator Orientation Briefing. A comprehensive evaluator briefing video is available at the following web site: Each evaluators is required to view the video prior to the exercise. Player Orientation Briefing. Players will check-in at their designated Registration Area between 0845 and 0915 hours for final instruction. A Player Orientation Briefing is scheduled at 0915 and additional information will be available upon registration. C/E Check-In. C/Es will check-in between 0815 and 0845 at their respective assigned exercise locations for final instruction. All C/Es must be ready in their assigned places for the start of the exercise and no later than Participant Hotwash. Immediately following the end of the exercise (ENDEX), Players and C/Es at each exercise location will gather for a Group Hotwash to share their first impressions about exercise conduct and play. Following the Group Hotwash each Player will login to the ONX System to submit their individual Hotwash and access their Certificate of Participation. C/E and Senior Agency After-Action Conference. The After-Action Conference is a forum for C/Es and Senior Agency Officials to review the exercise and the draft version 6 Page

11 of the After Action Report (AAR) and Improvement Plan (IP). The meeting will be held via Go-To-Meeting on February 26, 2015 at A conference line will be provided for meeting participants. C. SAFETY REQUIREMENTS Exercise safety takes priority over exercise events. Although the organizations involved in the Columbia Chemical Calamity Exercise come from various response agencies, they share the basic responsibility for ensuring a safe environment for all personnel involved in the exercise. The following general requirements apply to the Columbia Chemical Calamity Full-Scale Exercise: A designated exercise Safety Controller will be responsible for participant safety. All exercise C/Es and staff will serve as safety observers while the exercise activities are underway. Any safety concerns must be immediately reported to the Safety Controller. Participants will be responsible for their own and each other s safety during the exercise. It is the responsibility of all persons associated with the exercise to stop play if, in their opinion, a real safety problem exists. All organizations will comply with their respective environmental, health, and safety plans and procedures, as well as the appropriate Federal, State, and local environmental health and safety regulations. D. ACCIDENT REPORTING AND REAL EMERGENCIES For an emergency that requires assistance, the phrase, Real World, must be used. The following procedures should be used in case of a real emergency during the exercise: Anyone observing a participant who is seriously ill or injured must first advise the nearest C/E, then if possible, render aid, provided the aid does not exceed his or her training. The Controller who is made aware of a real emergency will initiate the broadcast, Real World, on the controller radio network, and provide the following information to the Senior Controller and Exercise Director: - Venue/function - Location within the venue/function - Condition - Requirements If the nature of the emergency requires a suspension of the exercise at the exercise site or for the exercise function, all exercise activities at that facility will immediately cease. Exercise play may resume once the Real World situation has been addressed. 7 Page

12 Exercise play at other sites and for other functions should not cease if one site/function has declared a Real World, unless they are reliant on the affected venue. If a real emergency occurs that affects the entire exercise, the exercise may be suspended or terminated at the discretion of the Exercise Director and Senior Controller. The notification will be made from the Exercise Director or Senior Controller. 8 Page

13 A. GENERAL Chapter 4: Exercise Logistics This section specifies tasks required to accomplish support for specific exercise preparation, conduct, and/or evaluation. This logistics plan includes obtaining briefing rooms, communications requirements, meals, transportation, and facility security badging and access, as well as notifying C/Es. Parking and Transportation. C/Es will be responsible for transportation coordination to their respective exercise locations. Parking will be available at each exercise location. Snacks and Drinks. Snacks and refreshments will be made available for the convenience of exercise personnel at the exercise locations. Restroom Facilities. Restroom facilities will be located on site for use during the exercise. Cleanup and Restoration. Following the exercise, C/Es and Players will begin cleanup operations to restore the area to pre-exercise conditions. All agencies assist in these efforts. Recording and Documenting Activities. Media camera crews and still photographers may be operating throughout the exercise. All participants should be advised of their presence and instructed to fully cooperate. Each jurisdiction is responsible for setting guidelines for the media presence in its facilities. Members of the media must be properly identified and display a badge at all times. B. SITE SECURITY Security. Individual locations participating in the exercise will be responsible for appropriate security measures during the exercise. The extent of those measures is at the discretion of each site location. To prevent confusion and interruption of the exercise, access to the exercise sites will be limited to exercise participants and previously identified Observers and VIPs only. Those personnel performing exercise site security are not direct participants in the exercise and will not be exposed (as part of the exercise) to any scenario-related play. Players should advise their facility s Controller if an unauthorized person is present. Each organization should follow its internal security procedures, augmented as necessary to comply with exercise requirements. Observer/VIP Coordination. Access to the exercise site for Observers and VIPs will be coordinated by staff at the individual exercise sites. 9 Page

14 Media. Media personnel will view the exercise from a designated area. Media will be asked to remain within the designated observation area during the exercise. The Public Information Officer (PIO) will be available to explain the exercise and answer questions for the media during the exercise. Exercise Identification. During exercise registration, participants should wear any identification normally worn for their job function or responsibilities. Controllers and Evaluators will be identified with appropriate identification indicating their respective roles. C. REGISTRATION AREA An area will be designated as the Registration Area for the Columbia Chemical Calamity Full-Scale Exercise. Pre-Exercise. All Players will arrive at the Registration Area, sign in, and receive exercise materials. D. COMMUNICATIONS PLAN Exercise Start, Suspension, and Termination Instructions. The exercise is scheduled to run for between two and three hours or until the Exercise Director and Senior Controller determine that the exercise objectives have been met. The exercise director will announce the start of the exercise and exercise suspension or termination through the Controller Communications Network. Player Communication. Players will use routine, in-place agency communication systems. Additional communication assets may be made available as the exercise progresses. In no instance will exercise communication interfere with real world emergency communications. Each venue will coordinate its own internal communication networks and channels. Spoken and written communications will start and end with the statement, This is an exercise. Controller/Evaluator Communications. Exercise Controllers will be provided with handheld radios with a dedicated channel for internal Controller communications. Personal cellular telephones may also be used if necessary. Communications between and with Evaluators will be accomplished through personal cellular telephones. A contact list will be available before the exercise to include contact information for Controllers and Evaluators. In no case will C/E communications interfere with, or override, player communications circuits. Communications Check. Before the start of the exercise, the Senior Controller will conduct a communications check to ensure redundancy and uninterrupted flow of control information. 10 Page

15 E. PUBLIC AFFAIRS General. This exercise offers Columbia County the opportunity to demonstrate an increased readiness to deal with an emergency. Any public safety exercise of this scope may be a newsworthy event. It is recommended that officials who will speak to the media be pre-designated so they can properly prepare themselves. Special attention will be given to the needs of the news media, allowing them to get as complete and accurate a story as possible, but ensuring that their activities do not impact the realism of the exercise or compromise safety or completion of exercise objectives. Exercise Responsibilities. The participating localities and the media have the following key responsibilities: 1. Pre-Exercise. The participating localities respective PIOs are responsible for disseminating public information in advance of the exercise, if desired. 2. During the Exercise. Each facility or jurisdiction will follow internal procedures and establish an appropriate plan to work with the media during the exercise. The participating jurisdictions are responsible for disseminating public information in advance of the Columbia Chemical Calamity Full-Scale Exercise. The Columbia County Emergency Management Department will coordinate this function. 11 Page

16 Chapter 5: Evaluation and Post-Exercise Activities A. AFTER ACTION REPORT The AAR is the culmination of the Columbia Chemical Calamity Full-Scale Exercise. It is a written report outlining strengths and areas for improvement identified during the exercise. The AAR will include a timeline, an executive summary, the scenario description, mission outcomes, and a capability analysis. The AAR will be drafted through the use of the ONX System primarily from direct input of the Exercise Evaluators. B. IMPROVEMENT PLAN The improvement process represents the comprehensive, continuing preparedness effort of which The Columbia Chemical Calamity Full-Scale Exercise is a part. The lessons learned and recommendations from the AAR will be incorporated into an IP. The IP identifies how recommendations will be addressed, including what actions will be taken, who is responsible for taking those actions, and the timeline for the completion of those actions. It is created by key stakeholders from the Columbia Chemical Calamity Full-Scale Exercise during the After Action Conference on February 26, Page

17 Appendix A: Schedule of Events Time Personnel Activity Location February 20, All Registration and Sign-In All 0915 Players Player Briefing All 0930 All STARTEX All 1145 All ENDEX All 1145 All Participant Hotwash All February 26, All After Action Conference VIA Webinar 13 Page

18 Appendix B: Communications Directory Position Name Phone Number Exercise Director Chris Floyd Lead Controller Gregg Dawkins Controller Chris Floyd Controller Robby Powers Evaluator Tom Cisco Evaluator Steve Spradley Evaluator Scott Crews Page

19 Florida Gateway College Appendix C: Site Maps 15 Page