1. Conducting Exercises in Emergency
Management

2. Lesson One
Lesson Objectives:
• Define the word “Exercise”
• Outline the different ways exercises can improve
readiness.
• Identify the main goals for conducting exercises.
• Distinguish between the seven different exercise types.
• Describe the building block approach to conducting
exercises.

3. Rationale for Conducting Exercises
• Definition(s) - Exercise:
– Something done or performed as a means of practice or
training.
– A putting into action, use, operation, or effect.
• Exercises Improve Readiness By:
– Providing the opportunity to evaluate agency operations
and plans.
– Allowing the demonstration of community resolve in the
event of a catastrophic event.
• The main goals for conducting exercises are:
– Clarify roles and responsibilities.
– Identify resource gaps.
– Develop and improve interagency coordination.
– Improve individual performances.
– Identify opportunities for improvement.

4. The Building Block Approach
• Typically, exercises range widely in cost, size, scope,
complexity, purpose, and approach.
• Exercise should be planned in a cycle that increases in
complexity. Each successive exercise should build on
the scale and experience of the previous one.
• In the building block approach, there are seven
accepted types of exercises. Each of the seven types
fall into one of two categories: Discussion-based
exercises and Operations-based exercises.

5. The Building Block Approach

6. Categories
• Category One: • Category Two:
– Discussion-based exercises – Operations-based exercises
• Seminars • Drills
• Workshops • Functional Exercises
• Tabletops • Full-Scale Exercises
• Games

7. Discussion-Based Exercises
• Concept:
– Discussion-based exercises, as suggested by the name,
primarily focus on participant discussions.
• Discussion-based exercises:
– Are typically, less complex or compound with regard to
implementation and execution.
– Provide an environment for discussing or developing plans,
agreements, training, and procedures.
– Typically focus on strategic, policy-oriented issues.
– Include seminars, workshops, tabletops, and games.
– Do NOT involve the deployment of resources.
• Note:
– In this type of environment, a facilitator or a presenter will
lead the discussions to help keep participants on track and
that exercise objectives are being met.

8. Discussion-Based Exercises Cont.
• Definition for later use:
– Facilitator; a person responsible for leading or coordinating
the work of a group, as one who leads a group discussion.
– In emergency management, the facilitator can vary in each
exercise. As the exercises become more complex, they
require a more experienced individual to lead the exercise.
– A facilitator is typically a member of the group who has a
wide knowledge-base of the department’s or agency's
overall logistics.
• Types of discussion-based exercises:
– Seminars; No facilitator is needed.
– Workshops; Any group member can facilitate.
– Tabletops; Requires an experienced individual within the
group.
– Games; Facilitation is less of a priority in this phase.

9. Discussion-Based Exercises Cont.
Discussion-Based Personnel:
• Presenters – Deliver the exercise presentation.
• Facilitators/Moderators – Lead group discussion.
• Controllers – Interpret rules and provide players
with information.
• Evaluators – Observe and collect exercise data.
• Players – Discuss issues based on professional
knowledge.
• Observers/VIPs – View but do not participate in
exercise.

10. Seminars
• Concept:
– A seminar is an informal discussion-based exercise led by a
presenter or facilitator, used to teach or orientate
participants.
• Seminar Goals:
– Introduce participants to new or existing plans, policies, or
procedures.
– Explore or assess interagency capabilities or inter-
jurisdictional operations.
– Construct a common framework of understanding.
• Behavior Characteristics:
– Casual atmosphere.
– Few time constraints.
– Lecture-based

11. Workshops
• Concept:
– A workshop is a formal discussion-based exercise led by a
facilitator or presenter, used to build or achieve a product.
• Workshop Goals:
– Develop new ideas, processes, or procedures.
– Develop a written product as a group in coordinated
activities.
– Obtain consensus, agreement, or compromise.
• Behavior Characteristics:
– Workshops require more participant discussion than a
lecture-based seminar.
– Break-out sessions are commonly used to explore parts of
an issue with smaller groups.

12. Tabletop Exercises
• Concept:
– Tabletop exercises (TTX) involve senior staff, elected
or appointed officials, or other key personnel in an
informal group discussion centered on a hypothetical
scenario.
• Goals:
– Identify strengths and shortfalls.
– Enhance understanding of new concepts.
– Seek to change existing attitudes and perspectives.
• Behavior Characteristics:
– Requires an experienced facilitator.
– In-depth discussions.
– Slow-paced problem solving.

13. Games
• Concept:
– In the world of Emergency Management, a game is a
simulation of operations using rules, data, and procedures
designed to depict an actual or assumed real-life situation.
• Goals:
– In a game, participants:
• Explore the processes and consequences of decision-making.
• Conduct “what-if” analyses of existing plans.
• Test existing and potential strategies.
• Behavior Characteristics:
– This does not involve the use of actual resources.
– Simulations typically included two or more teams.
– Includes models and simulations of increasing complexity
as the game progresses.

14. Operations-Based Exercises
• Operations-based exercise:
– Involve deployment of resources and personnel.
– Are more complex than discussion-based types.
– Require execution of plans, policies, agreements,
and procedures.
– Clarify roles and responsibilities.
– Improve individual and team performances.
– Include drills and both functional and full-scale
exercises.

15. Operations-Based Exercises Cont.
• Category Two:
– Operations-based exercises Include:
• Drills
• Functional Exercises
• Full-Scale Exercises

16. Drills
• Concept:
– Drills consist of supervised activity that tests a specific
operation or function of a single agency.
• Goals:
– Obtain training on new equipment.
– Test and assess new procedures.
– Practice and maintain role skills.
– Prepare and plan for future complex exercises.
• Behavior Characteristics:
– Immediate feedback.
– Realistic but isolated environment.

17. Functional Exercises
• Concepts:
– A functional exercise (FE) is a single or multi-agency
activity designed to evaluate capabilities and multiple
functions using simulated response.
• Goals:
– Evaluate the management of Emergency Operations
Centers, command post, and headquarters.
– Assess the adequacy of response plans and resources.
• Behavior Characteristics:
– Simulated deployment of resources and personnel.
– Rapid problem solving.
– Highly stressful environment.

18. Functional Exercises Cont.
• This format is applicable where the activity is
capable of being effectively evaluated in isolation
from other emergency management activity.
• In contrast to the Full-Scale Exercise, the
objective of the Functional Exercise is to:
– Demonstrate the execution of specific plans and
procedures,
– Directly apply established policy, plans, and
procedures under emergency conditions, within or by a
particular functional team(s).
• Most deployment of resources is simulated.

19. Functional Exercises Cont.
• Differences between drills and Functional
Exercises.
– Drills involve a single function; Functional
Exercises involve multiple functions.
– Drills involve actual deployment of resources and
personnel; Functional exercises use simulation.

20. Full-Scale Exercises
• Concept:
– Full-Scale Exercises (FSE) are high-stressed multi-
agency, multi-jurisdictional activities involving actual
deployment of resources in a coordinated response, as
if a real incident had occurred.
– Goals:
• Assess plans and procedures under crisis conditions.
• Evaluate coordinated responses under crisis conditions.
– Behavior/Conduct Characteristics:
• Mobilization of units, personnel, equipment, and gear.
• Highly stressful, realistic environment.
• Includes scripted exercise scenarios.