A significant indicator of an emergency management potential to react to an emergency is the functionality of program components exposed to the pressure of a simulated disaster. In order to be efficient, nonetheless, exercises should be an integral part of an extensive exercise program that as time passes assesses all elements of the emergency management plan. What this means is that exercises should be viewed within multi-year cycles and definitely not as separate occasions.
“Ideally, exercises build on each other by increasing in complexity, scope, and scale. The exercise plan, by virtue of its multi-year cycle, is part of the strategic planning process and objectives related to the program form part of the strategic plan.” (Canton, 2006, p.119)
Exercise goals are the genuine focus of the training. They determine what it is the training should achieve and offer a measurement by which the results of the exercise could be assessed. In general, exercise goals must be restricted to a small amount to preserve the scope feasible.
“Once exercise objectives are established, it is then appropriate to determine the scenario for the exercise. The exercise planners then have the option of selecting a suitable scenario, or, if a particular scenario is required (for example, by a grant requirement), that scenario can be tailored to produce the conditions needed to test the objectives.” (Canton, 2006, p.120)
Exercise layout is best attained by producing a team with representatives coming from the groups that will be engaged. This provides for that concerns related to those agencies are taken into consideration in the preparation. A result of the exercise layout team is actually the exercise plan, a file consisting of the management data related to the training: goals, time spans, work tasks, etc.
2.Discuss a comprehensive training program including exercises for first and second responders and the general public.
To react properly to an accident taking place near a college with a truck carrying toxic or flammable substances, an emergency response comprehensive training program could be developed involving the DOE, the local governments and the public. Several levels of emergency response teams could be established (Blezard, 2003).
As the witnesses of the accident report via “911”, the first responders, the local law enforcement agency or local fire service, should notify others and restrict access to the area of the accident, providing necessary instructions the public. Their "911" call should direct the incident to the consideration of the second responders, the HAZMAT response teams and DOE removal teams who carry out procedures like righting a vehicle as well as any important site clean-up and recovery routines.
3.Question 3:
Thoroughly describe one real-world example of how an exercise program provided the training required for a disaster response.
UNICEF provides an interesting illustration of a Philippine school’s exercise program designed to provide training for an uncommon disaster - a nearby volcano eruption. As Rob McBride (2008) reports, at Banadero Elementary School, Albay Province , Philippines, the alarm bell is clanged the schoolyard. Young children move out of their school rooms in organized columns to …