Preparation Process and Exercise Manual

Preparation Process and Exercise Manual
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Module L-052 Lecture: L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Modified: 24/10/2005 Purpose: The lecturer/trainer has to: describe the management process leading to the exercise; explain the importance of the exercise manual as the basic road map of this process; describe the contents of the exercise manual. Learning objectives: Upon completion of this lecture, the participants will: understand the process for preparing an exercise; understand the importance of the exercise manual; know what is required in the exercise manual. Duration: 50 minutes References: INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Method for developing arrangements for response to a nuclear or radiological emergency, EPR-METHOD, IAEA, Vienna (2003). INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Preparation, Conduct and Evaluation of Exercises to Test Preparedness for a Nuclear or Radiological Emergency, EPR-EXERCISE, IAEA, Vienna (2005). Lecture IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Objectives Know the exercise preparation process steps
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Objectives Know the exercise preparation process steps Understand what is the exercise manual Understand the importance of the exercise manual The exercise preparation starts several months before the exercise itself. There are some key steps in this process. It is important to know what they are. This module describes them. The basic process is based on the production of an exercise manual. This manual, as we will see, is key to the success of the exercise. The exercise manual development starts early in the process and the manual will evolve throughout the process. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Process Overview Step 1: Appoint an exercise management committee
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Process Overview Step 1: Appoint an exercise management committee The following steps describe the overall process for preparing an exercise. These steps are discussed in the context of a large-scale exercise. Although the process may be simpler for a smaller-scale exercise, these steps should be used as a checklist to ensure that none of the critical aspects of exercise preparation have been overlooked. The first step is the appointment of an exercise management committee. This is the team that will make the key decisions regarding the exercise and will direct its development. All the functions shown in this diagram should be allocated to members of this team. For very large-scale exercises, sub-teams for each or some of those functions may need to be created. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Process Overview Exercise Management Committee
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Exercise director Lead controller Lead evaluator Representatives from key organizations The management committee should have people that represent all the major areas that are to be exercised. Some of these individuals will become the chief controller and chief evaluator. The members of the exercise preparation team MUST NOT be players. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Process Overview: Exercise Management Committee
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Responsibilities: Developing the exercise specifications Developing the exercise evaluation criteria Developing the guide for controllers and evaluators Developing the guide for players Managing the process Selecting the scenario development team and assigning all major functional responsibilities within the exercise preparation organization This is a breakdown of the responsibilities of the exercise management committee. These also give an idea of the steps to be followed in the exercise preparation process. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Process Overview Exercise Management Committee
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Responsibilities (cont’d): Periodically reviewing the exercise scenario manual to ensure that it remains consistent with the exercise specifications Determining the extent of international participation Approving the media strategy Selecting the exercise controllers and evaluators Approving the presence of observers The responsibilities of this committee cover all aspects of exercise preparation, including personnel selection and the implementation of a policy to deal with the real media in the period leading to and during the exercise. More on this later. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Process Overview Step 2: Develop the exercise specifications
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Process Overview Step 2: Develop the exercise specifications Exercise objectives What will be exercised? Scope Who will participate? How long will the exercise be? How much will be accomplished? Before starting on the exercise itself, the specifications must be defined. Exercise objectives describe what it is that the exercise wants to verify, or the capabilities and functions that will be tested. Exercise objectives will be discussed later. The scope must then be established. How big will this be? How long? Will every response organization participate. Not every exercise will necessarily involve everyone. As a guide rule, the greater the scope, the more complex it is to prepare an exercise, but the simpler it is to conduct it. That is because organizations that do not participate must be simulated, and this can complicate the simulation during the exercise. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Process Overview Step 2: (cont’d) Constraints
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Process Overview Step 2: (cont’d) Constraints Financial Scheduling Staff resources Inform all participating organizations Every exercise incurs a great cost in terms of people, time lost, resources needed, etc. There are also constraints in terms of when the exercise can start and when it must end. These are unfortunate but part of real life. For example, in some cases, starting an exercise in the middle of the night may involve the need for special union arrangements, overtime pay, baby sitting arrangements, etc. In a real emergency, these are issues that are justified and fairly easy to overcome. In an exercise, the cost and complexity associated with those issues may not always be justified. It all depends on the exercise objectives and the significance of the constraints. Once these specifications have been determined, participating organizations should be informed. The only exception would be for exercises that are intended to be completely unannounced, for example if it is required to test the realistic response time of the emergency organizations. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Process Overview Step 3: Appoint a scenario design team
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Process Overview Step 3: Appoint a scenario design team Develop the scenario and exercise data Develop the exercise manual’s guide for controllers and evaluators Step 4: Validate the scenario Check with experts in the various fields Ensure that the scenario is realistic Ensure that the scenario meets all the exercise objectives Then, and only then, can the scenario be developed. To do this, you will need a team of people with expertize in all key areas being exercised. Again, these people must not be players in the exercises. The scenario development team would involve technical and emergency response specialists familiar with the technological and operational aspects of emergencies. Step 4 is validating the scenario. This means that the scenario should be reviewed with the whole group to ensure that it can work. Experts may need to be consulted in some areas, for example facility operators with in-depth knowledge of operating procedures, or police officer with knowledge of how personnel are expected to respond at the scene of an emergency. Specifically, you must ask the following questions: is it realistic? will it achieve the required exercise objectives? are there gaps? are there vulnerabilities where the participants could do the unexpected and derail the entire exercise? L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual
Process Overview Step 5: If required, design and implement training and drills program leading to the exercise Only for major exercises! Step 6: Appoint the exercise team Controllers Evaluators These should not be players in the exercise Major exercises, which represent a significant investment in people and resources for their preparation, are often preceded by a programme of training and drills. The idea is not to make sure that people do well, but rather to coordinate the training and exercise schedules to maximize the benefits of the large exercise. An exercise may require a lot of exercise staff to control and evaluate the players. These will normally only be recruited soon before the exercise, with the exception of the key controllers and evaluators (the chiefs) who are part of the exercise management committee. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Process Overview Step 7: Make arrangements for the exercise Locations
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Process Overview Step 7: Make arrangements for the exercise Locations Logistics requirements (special clothes, safety equipment) Accommodations (if people come from far away) Communications Transport Briefing rooms Identification tags Establish a simulation cell if required Publish an exercise telephone and contact list The logistic arrangements for an exercise can be complex and extensive. They should not be underestimated. Start early! Think of the things that could become issues before they do: will the locations required be available? Is there enough equipment for the entire exercise team? will hotels be required and if so will they be available? communications will be required for the exercise team; it must be on a different system or different channel from the players transport of exercise staff before and during the exercise will be required; how will they follow players who are mobile? the exercise team will need their own work space exercise staff must be clearly recognizable by the players simulation rooms and communications systems will be required for those organizations that are simulated when the players will need to contact simulated organizations, they must reach the simulation cell, not the real organization L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Process Overview Step 8: Finish the exercise manual
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Process Overview Step 8: Finish the exercise manual Step 9: Distribute the appropriate parts of the exercise manual to: Controllers Evaluators Players (if required) Soon before the exercise, you will need to inform the exercise team and the players on the important parameters for the exercise. This is done through the distribution of the appropriate sections of the exercise manual. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Distribution of the Manual
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Distribution of the Manual The manual should be distributed well in advance of the exercise, but not too early. When distributing the manual, be careful to ensure that the players do not gain access and knowledge to the scenario. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Process Overview Step 10: Train the controllers and evaluators
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Process Overview Step 10: Train the controllers and evaluators Ensure they are familiar with the exercise objectives, scenario, exercise data, schedule and evaluation methodology Ensure they know what you expect of them Ensure they know how to do their job A good exercise depends on the quality of the exercise controllers and evaluators. they will need to be trained prior to the exercise. Do not skip this step. It may come back to haunt you! L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Process Overview Now you are ready! Pre-exercise briefing
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Process Overview Now you are ready! Pre-exercise briefing Last minute checks Go! L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Schedule The schedule depends on the exercise scale and scope
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Schedule The schedule depends on the exercise scale and scope In general, step one should start two months to one year before the planned exercise date A good exercise needs to be prepared a long time in advance. For a large-scale exercise, preparation should probably start one year before the exercise date. Smaller exercises can be prepared in about one or two months provided that the exercise management committee is experienced. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Schedule (cont’d) L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual
This is an example of an exercise preparation process schedule. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

What is an Exercise Manual?
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual What is an Exercise Manual? The consolidated set of documentation required by participants, controllers and evaluators to conduct the exercise The road map for the preparation and conduct of the exercise There are several models for exercise manuals. This presentation introduces one example The exercise manual is the exercise “road-map”. It contains all you want to know about the exercise, and is addressed to players, controllers and evaluators. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

General Outline Exercise specifications Scenario Injects and data
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual General Outline Exercise specifications Scenario Injects and data Guide for controllers and evaluators Guide for players Media management The model presented herein is one of the many models available. It is divided into several sections. Each section is addressed to a specific audience and must be distributed at a specific time. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Exercise Specifications
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Exercise Specifications Objectives Response objectives What is being tested? Scope What organizations will participate? Time and duration Extent of actions to accomplish Constraints Practical, financial, political and management Exercise specifications includes: the objectives: what you want to verify the scope: how big will this exercise be the constraints: limitations on the hours, duration, locations, etc. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Developing Exercise Objectives and Criteria
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual What are exercise objectives? Actions that the overall emergency response organization must be able to accomplish Exercise objectives must be supported by evaluation criteria Criteria define what must be observed to evaluate a specific exercise objective Exercise objectives are defined in terms of “what it is that we want to achieve”. They are closely related to the response objectives, or what we called functional requirements. They must be measurable, not subjective. In other words, they are used to measure the output, or the outcome, not the process. An exercise measures the performance of the system or people, plans, procedures and equipments. Therefore, exercise objectives are also performance objectives. Each emergency response objective can be broken down into several criteria. Each criterion defines a measurable goal; this could be an action or timing requirement. For example, if the objective is notification, the criteria could be that a call is made within 15 minutes, and that all required information regarding the accident is transmitted to off-site authorities. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Example of Objective and Criteria
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Example of Objective and Criteria Exercise objective (contamination accident) Verify the ability to protect emergency workers Criteria: An access control point is established Dosimeters are worn Turn-back limits are established Dose control procedures are implemented People are monitored when they leave the contaminated area Names and doses are recorded For emergency workers, i.e. those who may be exposed in the course of actions to contaminated environments or high dose rates, the response objective is, quite simply put, their protection. This means that their dose must be kept below accepted levels. Criteria for this objective include: dose control activities must be established; dosimeters must be available and worn; contamination control points must be established. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Scenario Start state Narrative Key events and critical timeline
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Scenario Start state Narrative Key events and critical timeline Detailed sequence of events Master events list The scenario describes the events that will take place during the exercise. We will examine this aspect in more details in a following lecture. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Injects and Data Inject = information “injected” by a controller to a player to simulate an event Example: Initiation of a fire alarm in a facility Data = information provided by a controller to a player when adequate actions are taken to obtain it Example: ambient gamma measurement when a survey is conducted To run the scenario, we will need injects and data. It is important to understand the difference between the two. Injects are provided by controllers to drive the scenario. They usually happen regardless of the actions of the players. For example, a simulated road emergency could impair the ability to evacuate via that road. This is an inject because the controller would inform the players at a pre-set time that this simulated event has taken place, regardless of the actions of the players. Data is given only when the players take appropriate actions to deserve them. For example, if a surveyor wants to take a reading, the reading has to be simulated and the controller is the one providing that simulated reading. Or if a medical player examines a patient and takes his blood pressure, the simulated blood pressure must be provided by the controller. This is an exercise data because it is only provided if the medical player takes the blood pressure. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Guide for Controllers and Evaluators
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Guide for Controllers and Evaluators Organization Schedule and coordinating instructions Locations Logistics Communications Safety Detailed instructions The manual should contain a section for the controllers and evaluators. This will be their instruction manual! In the next few slides, the details of this section are described. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Guide for Controllers and Evaluators (Cont’d)
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Guide for Controllers and Evaluators (Cont’d) Organization Designate all personnel who will be controllers and evaluators Assign responsibilities Verify their availability Exercise Director Deputy Director The organization describes the structure for the control and evaluation of the exercise. Responsibilities must be allocated to specific people. Evaluation Team Control Team Observers Chief Evaluator Chief Evaluator Chief Controller Chief Controller On-Site Off-Site Off-Site On-Site Evaluators Evaluators Controllers Controllers L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Exercise Team Deputy Director Evaluators Lead Evaluator On-Site
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Exercise Team Deputy Director Evaluators Lead Evaluator On-Site Off-Site Evaluation Team Controllers Lead Controller Control Team Observers Exercise Director As we discussed in part 1, the exercise will be conducted by an exercise team. This team is composed of controllers and evaluators. Controllers and evaluators should not be the same individuals. Exercise control is a full time job. So is exercise evaluation. However, in some cases, due to staff restrictions or physical constraints (e.g. space limited to one passenger in a survey vehicle), a controller may also have an evaluator function. This diagram shows a generic exercise conduct team. Quite often, there is no need for more than one lead controller and one lead evaluator. However, in some very large exercises spanning both on-site and off-site organizations, it is possible to divide the responsibilities amongst more than one leader. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Exercise Team (Cont’d)
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Exercise Team (Cont’d) Exercise Director Overall exercise preparation and conduct Go/no go decisions Coordination of lead controllers Deputy Director (for large exercise) Assist the Exercise Director Exercise Director The Exercise Director is responsible for the overall exercise. His responsibilities include: deciding when the exercise starts; stopping the exercise for safety reasons, if required; resolving conflicts between the On-Site and Off-Site Controllers, if required; stopping the overall exercise. Deputy Director Sometimes, a Deputy Director is designated. The Deputy Exercise Director assists the Exercise Director and acts as Exercise Director if the latter becomes unavailable. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Exercise Team (Cont’d) Lead Controllers Overall coordination of exercise inputs Resolve issues related to timing and events Monitor safety and stop the exercise, if required Keep the Exercise Director informed Lead Controllers The On-Site and Off-Site Lead Controllers are responsible for the conduct of the on-site and off-site portions of the exercise, respectively. Their responsibilities include: starting their respective portion of the exercise; ensuring the good conduct and coordination of all aspects of their respective portion of the exercise; coordinating, together, the on-site and off-site aspects of the exercise; resolving issues related to timing and ensuring that all controllers are informed of any change in time lines; stopping their respective portion of the exercise for safety reasons, if required; informing the Exercise Director of the progress and issues related to the exercise on an on-going basis. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Exercise Team (Cont’d) Controllers Keep the scenario on track Conduct of their respective groups or activities Provide inputs and trigger actions Monitor safety and stopping their respective portion if required One controller for each key group Controllers Controllers are responsible for the proper conduct of their assigned portion of the exercise. Their responsibilities include: providing the required exercise input; ensuring that actions are carried out in a safe manner; stopping their portion of the scenario for safety reasons, as required; immediately informing the Lead Controllers when the time line is compromised; immediately informing the Lead Controllers when safety is compromised; ensuring that their work place is left in a safe state when the exercise is over. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Exercise Team (Cont’d) Lead Evaluators Coordinate the overall evaluation Brief and direct evaluators Ensure consistency in the evaluation Instruct evaluators on report format and schedule Produce the consolidated evaluation report Lead Evaluators The On-Site and Off-Site Lead Evaluators are responsible for coordinating the evaluation of their respective portion of the exercise. Lead Evaluators responsibilities include: instructing their evaluators on the evaluation schedule, method and criteria; ensuring consistency in the evaluators notes; instructing the evaluators on the format and schedule for their evaluation report; gathering all evaluators notes and reports; producing the final evaluation report for their respective portion of the exercise. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Exercise Team (Cont’d) Evaluators Take notes during the exercise Gather material from the exercise Complete evaluation checklist Produce the consolidated report, in accordance with the Lead Evaluator instructions Evaluators and controllers should not be the same persons, except for practical reasons Evaluators Evaluators are responsible for taking notes during the exercise and participating in the production of the final evaluation reports, as instructed by their respective Lead Evaluator. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Guide for Controllers and Evaluators (Cont’d) Schedule and coordinating instructions Pre-exercise meetings and training Facility tour Pre-exercise checks Post-exercise meeting This part gives the step-by-step instructions to the controllers and evaluators for the phase leading to the exercise. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Guide for Controllers and Evaluators (Cont’d) Locations Where will they be working? How do they get there? What if they have to move in the middle of the exercise? Where will the meetings be? This part tells them where they will be meeting and working. Note that if their location is likely to change, you need to think about transportation. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Guide for Controllers and Evaluators (Cont’d) Logistics Transport Hotel and meals Equipment and supplies Controllers and evaluators coming from outside the area will need a place to stay. If the exercise is expected to be long, meals may have to be provided. Also, there may be needs for safety equipment and other instruments to allow the controllers and evaluators to do their work. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Guide for Controllers and Evaluators (Cont’d) Communications Contact list for exercise personnel Radio channels Call list Communications instructions You need to have a reliable way to stay in touch with your exercise team during the exercise. Radios and mobile telephones may be required. Ensure that the communication channels used are different from those used by the players. During the exercise, contact the controllers on a regular basis to ensure that the scenario is developing according to the plan and to correct any possible deficiencies in the exercise. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Detailed instructions How to control the exercise How to evaluate the exercise Evaluation objectives and criteria This part of the manual will also contain detailed instructions and techniques for the controllers and evaluators. More on this in a following lecture. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Guide for Controllers Before the exercise: know the scenario and customize your input package During the exercise: Identify yourself Communications check Start messages with “for exercise” Follow the input instructions Instructions for the controllers start before the exercise. First, they must know the scenario well, and be thoroughly familiar with the part they play in it. It is useful to conduct a “dry run” of the scenario, or a simulation, just with the controllers before the exercise, to ensure that each knows what has to be done, when and how, and to clear any existing confusion. One important aspect of exercise control is the need to start any input with a message that clearly indicates that this message is part of an exercise. There are two reasons for this: sometimes, a real emergency may occur members of the public who capture messages over the air may believe that the emergency is a real one if the message is not clearly part of an exercise. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Guide for Controllers During the exercise (cont’d)
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Guide for Controllers During the exercise (cont’d) If the scenario gets off-track, report to the Lead Controller Do not provide information unless it is deserved Do not accelerate or modify the scenario unless authorized by the Lead Controller Immediately terminate the simulation if safety is threatened Each controller is in charge of his/her own portion of the scenario. Normally, it is essential to “stick” to the scripted scenario. However, in some cases, it may be required to modify the local events slightly to meet the exercise objectives. An example would be if the operators are able to find a quick fix, unanticipated, to eliminate a potential simulated release. If this was allowed to happen, the objectives related to environmental surveys and off-site emergency response actions may not be verifiable. In this case, controller action may be required to prevent the operator actions. Any non-scripted controller intervention removes an element of realism and should be discouraged, if possible. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Guide for Controllers If the exercise gets off track:
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Guide for Controllers If the exercise gets off track: Immediately inform the lead controller Adjust time line or event as required Keep in mind the exercise objectives Inform all affected controllers Exercises do get off-track. Sometime, it is because the players have outsmarted the controllers and scenario development team and have found an unexpected solution to a problem. This has the potential of disrupting all events downstream and may require controller intervention. If this is the case, controllers must explain to the players that they have done a great job solving the problem but that, for exercise purposes, they will be assumed to have failed. Another way of solving this is to inject an additional event to get the scenario back on track. This is not desirable. In all cases, the lead controller is the only one who can allow deviations from the script. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Guide for Controllers To end the exercise:
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Guide for Controllers To end the exercise: Final event or final message Clearly state that the exercise is over Inform all controllers Inform all participating organizations Return the work locations to a safe state Not all groups need to end at the same time Gather controllers and discuss the conduct of the exercise Write a report and provide it to the lead evaluator The exercise ends when the exercise director decides it. Normally, this is at the end of the scenario, or when all exercise objectives have been met. Not all groups will necessarily end at the same time. For example, it is possible to end an on-site component of the exercise and let the off-site authorities continue to deal with the off-site issues. At the end of the exercise, clearly inform the players that the exercise is over. Also inform all remote organizations. There have been interesting exercises when organizations were not informed on the end and kept on playing until several hours after all others had quit. Controllers are not formally part of the evaluation team. However, they may have input that is relevant to the evaluation. In this case, controllers should inform the evaluator present verbally or the lead evaluator in writing. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Guide for Controllers Safety is paramount
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Guide for Controllers Safety is paramount Use “for exercise” in all communications No unsafe actions should be allowed, even if they are realistic Safety applies equally to participants and exercise team Normal safety procedures to be followed Stop the exercise if a real safety breach or emergency occurs Safety is paramount! All participants and exercise staff, as well as observers, must follow standard safety procedures. Controllers are directly responsible to the Exercise Director for ensuring that safety is not jeopardized by the participant actions. This includes, for example, charging fire hoses when it is not allowed. Communications for real emergencies must be preceded by “This is not a Drill/Exercise”. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Guide for Controllers Special case: Table top
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Guide for Controllers Special case: Table top Same as exercises, except that most outside groups are simulated Keep the number of groups limited Together or separate Timeline can be compressed Encourage discussion, but do not lead it Table tops are a special case of exercises. Here, most groups are simulated. There are only a limited number of groups involved, normally only one. The exercise is conducted as a discussion sessions. Inputs are provided at set times, and the timeline is usually compressed or expanded to suit the needs for discussions around key issues. The tough part of controlling a table top is ensuring that the controller promotes discussion without leading it. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Guide for Players General statement of intent
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Guide for Players General statement of intent Applicable laws, statutes and regulatory texts Exercise scope and objectives Participating organizations Exercise rules Exercise communications Simulation cells Safety Media arrangements and guidelines Feedback required from players This section is for the players. It contains the basic parameters for the exercise. The exercise rules describe how players should behave during the exercise, how input will be provided, how they should relate to the exercise staff, what they should simulate, etc. Since it is for a wide audience (there may be off-site participants), it is best to avoid jargon and acronyms in this section. Any exercise has the potential to attract significant media attention. Players and exercise staff will find guidelines on how to interact with the media in this section. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Guide for Players (cont’d)
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Guide for Players (cont’d) General statement of intent Explain the general purpose of exercises Explain how exercises fit within the overall emergency preparedness program Explain the benefit of exercises and the importance to take them seriously This section explains to the players the reasons for having an exercise. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Guide for Players (cont’d) Applicable laws, statutes and regulatory texts State the regulatory and other legal obligations for the exercise This one emphasizes that exercises are not only useful but that they are also required. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Guide for Players (cont’d) Exercise scope and objectives Summarize the exercise specifications discussed earlier This will explain to the players the extent of the exercise. The players must know what the objectives of the exercise are. This also tells them on what the organizations will be evaluated. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Guide for Players (cont’d) Participating organizations Who will play and to what extent Important to mention who is NOT playing When omitted, this can lead to embarrassing situations! It is very important for them to know who (what organizations) will be playing and which ones will be simulated. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Guide for Players (cont’d) Exercise rules How the exercise will be conducted How injects and data will be provided What players must do to get the data Interaction with controllers and evaluators Make sure the rules are clear. In particular, it is important that the players understand that they are expected to perform the actions as if the situation was real. There is often a tendency by players to over-simulate their actions because they know it is an exercise. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Guide for Players (cont’d) Exercise communications Exercise communications list Simulation cell phone numbers Start each communication with “this is an exercise” If some organizations are not playing but may still need to be contacted by the players during the exercise, they need to be simulated. This is normally done through a simulation cell. In this case, the contact information for that simulation cell need to be provided to the players before the exercise and the players need to know that it is those numbers that they must use during the exercise. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Guide for Players (cont’d) Simulation cells What organizations are being simulated As previously discussed, the simulation cell simulates those organizations that are not playing in the exercise but that are needed by the players to perform their functions. For example, in an on-site facility exercise, the off-site organizations need to be simulated. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Guide for Players (cont’d) Safety Strong statement on need for safety Exercise needs do not override safety considerations Role of players in safety Role of exercise personnel in safety Emphasize safety first! L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Guide for Players (cont’d) Media arrangements and guidelines Is there simulated media or not? What to do if the real media gets involved It is quite possible that, during the exercise, some players may be contacted by the real media. This is even more complicated when the exercise includes a simulated media component. Therefore, you will need: 1) A way to distinguish real from simulated media. 2) A group or a person to deal with the real media. This group or person should not be a player, controller or evaluator. 3) Instructions to the players and exercise team members on what to do if they encounter the real media. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Dealing With the Media Simulated media Real media Designate team
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Dealing With the Media Simulated media Designate team Establish simulation cell Provide clear guidelines Real media Determine strategy Separate simulated media controllers and people who will deal with the real media You can involve media in the preparation of the exercise Make arrangements to deal with the real media during the exercise to prevent interference with the conduct of the exercise Dealing with the media during an exercise is always a challenge. First, there is the simulated media. These will play the role of the real media in accordance with the exercise scenario. Simulating the media is always “fun”. There is also a tendency for the media simulators to do more that is required, or to go overboard, mimicking what they perceive the real media would do in a real situation. This often leads to over simulation. Therefore, clear guidelines must be provided to ensure that the simulated media is kept realistic. Then there is the real media. they may or may not be interested in the exercise. If they are, there is a possibility that they may interfere with it by trying to contact the players, who would then have to have a split personality to deal with simulated and real media at the same time. That is why real media arrangements must be provided for each exercise. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Guide for Players (cont’d) Feedback required from players Post-exercise briefing Need for constructive feedback Actions to be taken following the evaluation At the end of the exercise, it is important to collect players feedback. It is equally important for the players to have an opportunity to “vent”. However, the evaluators should ensure, as much as possible, that this feedback does not become an opportunity to complain and that the comments remain constructive. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Importance of the Exercise Manual
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Importance of the Exercise Manual Critical! Without a good exercise manual, the exercise will most likely not be a success Distribute on time As you can see, the manual is of critical importance to the exercise. It is the best way to ensure that the exercise team will be properly coordinated. This can only happen if the manual is provided in time! L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Scenario Security The value of the exercise will be reduced if the players know the scenario Protect the scenario Number the copies No extra copies should be made If the players know the scenario, the exercise will not be as effective. Measures should be taken to ensure that the entire manual is well guarded. Controllers and evaluators should not leave the manual unattended in public places. Controllers must not be players at the same time! Copies should be numbered and controlled. People should sign for the copies they receive. L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Summary Follow the 10-step process The manual is the road map
L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual Summary Follow the 10-step process The manual is the road map The manual is critical to a good exercise Complete it and distribute it on time! L-052: Preparation Process and Exercise Manual IAEA Training in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Preparation Process and Exercise Manual

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "Preparation Process and Exercise Manual"— Presentation transcript:

Similar presentations

About project

Feedback

Log in

Auth with social network:

Preparation Process and Exercise Manual

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "Preparation Process and Exercise Manual"— Presentation transcript:

Similar presentations

About project

Feedback