Fairfax County Community Resiliency Collaboration U.S. Department of Homeland Security Braddock District TTX Situation Manual Federal Emergency Management Agency Photo Credit: FEMA/Liz Roll Fairfax County Community Resiliency Collaboration Tabletop Exercise Series: Braddock District Situation Manual January 12, 2015 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Fairfax, VA
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Fairfax County Community Resiliency Collaboration U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Braddock District TTX Situation Manual Federal Emergency Management Agency
Photo Credit: FEMA/Liz Roll
Fairfax County Community Resiliency Collaboration
Tabletop Exercise Series: Braddock District
Situation Manual
January 12, 2015
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Fairfax, VA
Fairfax County Community Resiliency Collaboration U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Braddock District TTX Situation Manual Federal Emergency Management Agency
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................. 1
Fairfax County Community Resiliency Collaboration U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Braddock District TTX Situation Manual Federal Emergency Management Agency
EXERCISE SCHEDULE
The following table summarizes the TTX schedule for January 12, 2015.
January 12, 2015
Time Activity
5:00 p.m. Registration and Dinner
5:30 p.m. Welcome, Introductions, Opening Brief, and Review of Seminar
5:45 p.m. Module 1
6:45 p.m. Break
7:00 p.m. Module 2
8:00 p.m. Hot Wash and Dessert
8:15 p.m. Closing Remarks
8:30 p.m. Adjourn
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Fairfax County Community Resiliency Collaboration U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Braddock District TTX Situation Manual Federal Emergency Management Agency
ACRONYMS
Acronym Definition
AAR After Action Report
CBO Community Based Organization
CRG Community Resiliency Group
DHS U.S. Department of Homeland Security
ECHO Ecumenical Community Helping Others
EEG Exercise Evaluation Guide
EOC Emergency Operations Center
EOP Emergency Operations Plan
FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency
FCIA Faith Communities in Action
FISH For Immediate Sympathetic Help
HOA Home Owners Association
HSEEP Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program
IP Improvement Plan
NCS Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services
NED National Exercise Division
OEM Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management
Ops Operations
PDRP Fairfax County Pre-Disaster Recovery Plan
PTA Parent Teacher Association
SitMan Situation Manual
SME Subject Matter Expert
TTX Tabletop Exercise
VF Volunteer Fairfax
VOAD Voluntary Organization Active in Disaster
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Fairfax County Community Resiliency Collaboration U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Braddock District TTX Situation Manual Federal Emergency Management Agency
INTRODUCTION
Background
Effective disaster response and recovery depends on a whole community effort. Coordination
between federal, tribal, state, local, and private sector stakeholders is vital. In order to
strengthen partnerships between governmental and non-governmental organizations, the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is sponsoring tabletop exercises (TTXs) designed to
examine non-governmental organizations’ emergency plans, processes, and procedures; identify
best practices; and address capability shortfalls.
The Fairfax County Community Resiliency Group (CRG) is comprised of community partner
organizations that serve the public in day to day services, such as food, finances, furniture, and
clothing; as well as residential organizations, PTAs, schools, local police and fire, and other
organizations
In the event of disaster, the members of the CRG will be convened to discuss their local situation
and problem solve how to best support each other, the community and the government in some
response, and mostly recovery efforts.
Eventually, there will be a CRG for each supervisor district in Fairfax County, comprised of the
above groups, and others as applicable.
Purpose and Scope
This Braddock District TTX is a three and a half-hour, scenario-driven, facilitated discussion
that will provide an opportunity for a single jurisdictional exercise between neighboring
community partners and governmental organizations, allowing for organized response and
recovery, resource sharing, and relationship building.
Core Capabilities
Core capabilities are the distinct critical elements needed to achieve our National Preparedness
Goal. Conducting evaluations using core capabilities allows for data to be aggregated across
the homeland security enterprise, which supports a growing understanding of preparedness at
the national level. The Braddock District TTX objectives align to the following core
capabilities:
Operational Coordination
Planning
Public Information and Warning
Health and Social Services
Exercise Design Objectives
This exercise will focus on the following objectives selected by the Exercise Planning Team:
1. Provide an opportunity for a single jurisdictional exercise between neighboring
community partners, allowing for organized response and recovery, resource sharing,
relationship building.
2. Determine reporting and communicating best practices among whole community
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Fairfax County Community Resiliency Collaboration U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Braddock District TTX Situation Manual Federal Emergency Management Agency
partners.
3. Develop database of Whole Community Partners and their resources, to facilitate
coordination of resources, response and recovery.
4. Provide a setting to secure MOAs with Whole Community Partners (these partners
assist in sheltering, mass care, emotional and spiritual care and other essential services) to support the Volunteer and Donations Management Annex.
Participants
The Braddock District TTX will include potential Fairfax County Community Resiliency
Group members drawn from the Braddock District of Fairfax County, Volunteer Fairfax, and
various offices within Fairfax County Government. FEMA National Exercise Division
personnel will be present. During the exercise, these participants will take one of the following
roles:
Players. Players respond to the situation presented, based on expert knowledge of
their organizations’ procedures, current plans and procedures, and insights derived
from experience and training.
Note takers. Note takers are not active participants; however, they may have insight
or technical expertise that allows them to accurately summarize the discussion at their
table for further review.
Facilitators. Facilitators provide situation updates and moderate discussions. They
also provide additional information or resolve questions as required. Key Exercise
Planning Team members also may assist with facilitation as subject matter experts
(SMEs).
Evaluators. Evaluators take notes on the discussion to compare to plans and
procedures in the context of the target capabilities and corresponding Exercise
Evaluation Guides (EEGs).
Exercise Structure
This exercise will be a three and a half-hour, scenario-driven, facilitated discussion. The
exercise will be divided into two modules, and the facilitator will provide relevant information
to the participants according to a scenario timeline in order to drive discussion. Participants
will then converse in table groups, periodically reporting back their main findings to the larger
plenary.
Module 1
During Module 1, players will discuss the Operational Coordination and Health and
Social Services questions in a plenary.
Module 2
During Module 2, players will discuss the Public Information and Warning questions
in a plenary.
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Fairfax County Community Resiliency Collaboration U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Braddock District TTX Situation Manual Federal Emergency Management Agency
Hot Wash
After the exercise has concluded, a facilitator will lead participants in a discussion of their key
takeaways from the exercise.
Exercise Evaluation
The goal of exercise evaluation is to validate strengths and identify improvement opportunities
for the participating organizations. In this exercise, evaluation will attempt to validate plans,
procedures, and protocols of participating agencies and determine their level of capability.
The Braddock District TTX evaluators will use Exercise Evaluation Guides (EEGs) to evaluate
participants’ abilities to address Core Capabilities and critical tasks that fall under each exercise
objective. Evaluators will be provided with EEGs for each of their assigned areas.
Additionally, players will be asked to complete participant feedback forms. These documents,
coupled with hot wash notes, will be used to evaluate the exercise and compile an After Action
Report (AAR)/Improvement Plan (IP). The evaluation results will be distributed to Volunteer
Fairfax and Braddock District TTX Planning Team members with the goal of providing insight
and developing a Corrective Action Plan.
Exercise Guidelines
This TTX will be held in an open, low-stress, no-fault environment. Varying
viewpoints, even disagreements, are expected and encouraged.
Respond on the basis of your knowledge of current plans and capabilities (i.e., you
may use only existing assets) and insights derived from your training.
Decisions are not precedent setting and may not reflect your organization’s final
position on a given issue. This exercise is an opportunity to discuss and present
multiple options and possible solutions.
Issue identification is not as valuable as suggestions and recommended actions that could improve response efforts. Problem-solving efforts should be the focus.
Assumptions and Artificialities
In any exercise, assumptions and artificialities may be necessary to complete play in the time
allotted. During this exercise, the following apply:
The scenario is plausible, and events occur as they are presented.
There is no hidden agenda, and there are no trick questions.
All players receive information at the same time.
Participants are expected to respond from the viewpoint of the organization they
represent.
Unless otherwise stated in the scenario, participating organizations can assume their
resources and staff are fully intact.
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Fairfax County Community Resiliency Collaboration U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Braddock District TTX Situation Manual Federal Emergency Management Agency
SCENARIO
On Saturday, January 10th, an arctic jet stream collided with a winter oceanfront storm system
pushing across Virginia. Snow fell consistently throughout the weekend, resulting in an
average snow accumulation of two feet across Northern Virginia. In addition to heavy
precipitation, wind speeds were measured at a sustained 20 mph with gusts up to 45 mph.
Snow tapered off Saturday night into Sunday morning and changed into freezing rain, which
continued throughout the day. As a result, much of Fairfax County has seen ice accumulation
on power lines and trees, with heavier accumulation to the west of the county.
The precipitation ended overnight Sunday. It is now Monday, January 12th
. Average
temperature highs will remain below the freezing mark across central and Northern Virginia.
The snow and ice have caused major disruptions in transportation and power across the county.
In Northern Virginia, several major roads and intersections remain partially blocked due to
snow drifts, downed power lines, and fallen trees. Secondary roads are still icy and clogged
with shoveled snow piles. Officials recommend staying off the roads for non-essential travel,
but many routes are now safe for non-essential travel.
The included map titled “Affected Utilities Map” shows power outages across the Braddock
District. Some local hospitals and municipal water systems are operating on back-up
generators. Multiple senior living communities are reported to be without power. There are
also reports of roof collapses at schools, warehouses, houses of worship, and private homes.
Fairfax County emergency services have been working since Saturday to ensure life safety.
They remain fully capable to meet the needs of the community. The Fairfax County
Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has been on full activation since early Saturday morning.
Volunteer Fairfax has been at the EOC since Saturday and has recommended the activation of
the Community Resiliency Group. In addition, Volunteer Fairfax has been sending daily
updates to member organizations. On Sunday, county officials requested a meeting of
community- and faith-based organizations to discuss the unmet needs of Fairfax County
residents. Meetings are being held in each supervisor district on Monday night.
You are attending that meeting on behalf of the organization you represent. With a focus on
collaboration and coordination, your task is to review the situation at hand and develop
strategies for success that leverage the resources and capabilities of the organizations in your
district. Your discussion should focus on the following capabilities requested by local officials:
Improve situational awareness and operational coordination among responding agencies
Ensure health and social service needs of all residents are met
Leverage community networks to inform the general public and emergency officials of progress and ongoing needs
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Fairfax County Community Resiliency Collaboration U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Braddock District TTX Situation Manual Federal Emergency Management Agency
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
The following questions are provided as suggested general subjects that you may wish to address
as the exercise progresses. These questions are not meant to constitute a definitive list of concerns
to be addressed, nor is there a requirement to address every question.
Operational Coordination
1. Fairfax County OEM recognizes the valuable resource of community groups when it comes to
improving situational awareness and the common operating picture. Others normally tasked
with providing updates (Fire, EMS, and Law Enforcement ) are occupied responding to
emergency calls and are unable to provide the systematic neighborhood damage reports needed
by the EOC.
a. How can community groups in the Braddock District best share the damage and
needs assessments in their neighborhood to responding agencies? What networks
can be leveraged to help meet this need? What training or orientation would be
needed to prepare your community group for this task?
2. Many constituents in the Braddock District have been contacting the CRG for information on
how to obtain food for their pets. Are resources available through the community and faith
based organizations? If so, how?
Health and Social Services
3. Volunteer Fairfax, the Volunteer and Donations Management Lead at the Fairfax County
EOC, has been communicating with several local businesses interested in supporting
community groups. A sporting goods chain is willing to donate 500 pairs of winter gloves.
The gloves are currently stored in a large warehouse near Woodbridge, VA and must be picked
up. The business will provide the gloves for free as long as the gloves are distributed to both
volunteers helping clear away snow and debris and to people in need.
a. Do Braddock District organizations have a need for this kind of donation? How
can local groups work together to distribute the gloves in accordance with the
donor’s intent? What additional information is needed?
Public Information and Warning
4. Volunteers can augment your capabilities during a disaster. In disasters, community members
will self-deploy as volunteers without proper coordination or training.
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Fairfax County Community Resiliency Collaboration U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Braddock District TTX Situation Manual Federal Emergency Management Agency
a. What is your process for recruitment and training volunteers? How do you
message your volunteer needs to the larger community and minimize self-
deployment of community members.
5. The Fairfax alert system has been giving situation updates since the scenario began. This
message has gone out exclusively to those registered with the system.
a. In what ways can your faith based or community group relay this information to
those with access and/or functional needs? How will this information be
promulgated to the non-English speaking population? What about for those with
land line telephones?
b. How will your organization find out about the needs in your area of
responsibility/community?
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Fairfax County Community Resiliency Collaboration U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Braddock District TTX Situation Manual Federal Emergency Management Agency