Tabletop Exercise Handbook

Earthquake Scenario

Page 1 of 18
Exercise Handbook
 THIS PAGE LEFT BLANK

Page 2 of 18
Exercise Handbook
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXERCISE OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................ 4

Why Exercise .......................................................................................................................... 4
Validating the Planning Processes .......................................................................................... 4
Benefits of Exercising............................................................................................................. 5
Handouts for this Exercise ...................................................................................................... 5
EXERCISE CRITERIA ............................................................................................................... 6
Narrative: Part 1 (0 – 6 hours) Initial Response ....................................................................... 7
Problem Statements ................................................................................................................ 7
Expected Actions: Part 1 (0 – 6 hours) Initial Response ....................................................... 9
Narrative: Part 2 (+6 – 12 hours) ............................................................................................. 10
Problem Statements: ............................................................................................................. 10
Expected Actions: Part 2 (+6 – 12 hours)............................................................................ 11
Narrative: Part 3 (13 - 24 hours) .............................................................................................. 12
Problem Statements: ............................................................................................................. 12
Expected Actions: Part 3 (13 – 24 hours): ........................................................................... 13

EXERCISE MAPS

Figure 1 Peak Ground Accelerations Magnitude 6.7.................................................................... 16

Figure 2 Spectral Acceleration, 0.3 seconds................................................................................ 17

Page 3 of 18
Exercise Handbook
 EXERCISE OVERVIEW

Why Exercise
The question is often asked, "Why conduct exercises?" Exercises ensure that all parties
understand and are knowledgeable of:
ƒ Respective roles and responsibilities.
ƒ Role in the command structure, whether it is the incident command system (ICS),
unified command system (UCS), etc.
ƒ Coordination and communication with other Teams/Business Units.
ƒ Assignments before, during and after an incident, including on-scene assignments.
ƒ Crisis Management Team (CMT) overall level of commitment to the event.
ƒ Notification responsibilities, as to how the Teams will be notified and when to
respond.

Validating the Planning Processes

Exercises that narrate a specific disaster are commonly used to validate a process. For this
exercise the response, organization, and administrative processes will be validated. Exercise
objectives are established and used to evaluate the effectiveness of certain sections of the
Business Continuity Plan (could be other plans such as the crisis management plan, disaster
recovery plan, emergency response plan, hazard specific plans, etc.
This exercise scenario will perform the following:
• Provide a means to assess the readiness of the Business Continuity Plan (BCP) and
response capabilities.
• Serve as a training tool for the Crisis Management Team.
• Provide an opportunity to practice skills and improve individual performance.
• Require participants/Teams to communicate with each other and coordinate decisions on
response processes.
• Provide a means to gain awareness and involvement of other Business Units, vendors,
suppliers, etc in the planning process.

Page 4 of 18
Exercise Handbook
Benefits of Exercising
The benefits of an exercise scenario include:
• Readiness for response is increased in the event of an actual impact to business
operations.
• Procedural and policy gaps are identified.
• Conflicts are revealed.
• Roles and responsibilities are confirmed.
• Resource needs are identified.
• Effectiveness of training is evaluated and additional training needs are identified.
• Modifications and improvements to crisis management plans, procedures/guidelines, and
action checklists are identified based upon the lessons learned from the exercise.
• Participants practice working together as a team.

Handouts for this Exercise

1. Exercise Handbook
2. Earthquake Seattle Fault
3. Glossary of Terms
4. Initial Activity Cycle and Daily Activity Cycle for 0 – 24 hours
5. Earthquake Map of Puget Sound area posted.

Page 5 of 18
Exercise Handbook
 EXERCISE CRITERIA

Organization: CMTs: list teams here

Objectives: 1. Heighten awareness of BCP operational process 0 – 24 hours for all teams
2. Validate initial response activities 0 -24 hours.
3. Validate coordination process with other teams/command post/command
center.
4. Validate responsibilities and standard operating guidelines.
5. Validate escalation and notification timeline and process: who, what, when,
where, how.
6. Validate process of initial assignment of team members
7. Validate process of initial assessment of impact.
8. Validate activities that complete the initial Crisis/Incident Action Plan for the
first 24 hours.

Scope: Event: Catastrophic Earthquake

Timeline: 0 – 24 hours (inception of event up to 24 hours)
Team Location: Seattle, WA

Exercise Conference Room

Location

Participants:
ƒ CMT Managers
ƒ CMT Leaders

What to ƒ Laptop
Bring: ƒ Business Continuity Plan documents.
ƒ Be prepared to update your BCP documents during the exercise.

Handouts ƒ Exercise Handbook

ƒ Earthquake Seattle Fault
ƒ Glossary of Terms
ƒ Initial Activity Cycle and Daily Activity Cycle for 0 – 24 hours

Facilitators/
Evaluators:

Page 6 of 18
Exercise Handbook
 Narrative: Part 1 (0 – 6 hours) Initial Response

It is time on date. You have just felt a moderate earthquake as you worked at your
desk in your Office Building. You hid under your desk as plaster and glass flew
around your office. After the shaking had stopped, you left the building from the
nearest exit to your team’s designated Evacuation Assembly Area. You see several
cracks in the rock fascia and wonder whether it is safe to reenter the building.

As your team discusses the event the ground begins to shake violently throwing
everyone to the ground. The shaking seems to last a long time and your team is in
shock. Taking a quick personnel assessment apparently there are no serious injuries.
Team members come up to you and state they could not get a dial tone on their cell
phone. Your team appears very stressed and asks these questions: “What do we do
now? How do we call the command center/emergency operations center? How bad do
you think this quake is?”

Problem Statements:
A. As a member of the CMT (Incident Commander and support personnel: Safety,
Security, Legal, Public/Media Relations, Liaison) what are your primary priorities and
responsibilities?

1. What are the time constraints on these activities?

2. What steps will you take in the next 6 hours that defines
a) Declared Response
b) Initial Notification Process
c) Command Post/Center Activation
d) Integration of Response Organization

3. How is your team prepared to sustain their activity for 6 hours?

4. List other Problems:

Page 7 of 18
Exercise Handbook
 B. As a CMT Section Leader (Operations, Planning, Logistics,
Finance/Administration), what are your primary priorities and responsibilities?

1. What steps will you take in the next 6 hours that defines
a) Declared Response
b) Initial Notification Process
c) Team Mobilization
d) Command Post Activation
e) Initial Assessment of impacts
f) Communication to Command Center
g) Personnel rotation/shifts

Page 8 of 18
Exercise Handbook
Expected Actions: Part 1 (0 – 6 hours) Initial Response

Crisis Team Manager

Phase: Declaration/Response Initiation: Notification +0
Objectives:
1. Activate Command Post and Emergency Operations Center (EOC) or Command
Center.
2. Mobilize Team
3. Create Initial Incident Report.
4. Complete initial notifications.
5. Activate Checklists/SOPs/SOGs/EOPs. (Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs),
Standard Operating Guidelines (SOGs), Emergency Operations Procedures
(EOPs))
Make necessary notifications to:

• Command Center/Operations Center/Alternate Work Site/Alternate Data

Center

• Other business unit CMT members as appropriate

• Vendors / Suppliers

• Others?

CMT members:
1. Initial Notifications initiated and completed
2. Retrieve/Review/Check off SOPs/SOGs/EOPs
3. Commence Initial Assessment of the disaster
4. All communications begin to be logged
5. Initial Incident Report created
6. Journal entry made on event and a log started

Page 9 of 18
Exercise Handbook
 Narrative: Part 2 (+6 – 12 hours)

Because of possible structural damage to the building, your team discusses relocating
your Command Post to the alternate work location. It appears that the earthquake was
so severe that it will require a serious effort to respond to team needs and their support
services to other CMTs. Since the Emergency Operations Center or Command Center
is expecting each CMT Section Leaders and staff to be located at their respective
command post, it is necessary to discuss notification and possible alternate
communication and reporting processes because of changes to the physical work
location.

Problem Statements:
A. If there is damage to this building(s)
1. How do you compile a detailed assessment of impacts of your work
environment and location and send the impact assessment to the Command
Center
2. How do you select where you will relocate, i.e. how do you know it is safe?
3. Who makes the decision?
4. How do you get there?
5. When will you start?

B. Other CMTs will need to know of your team location.

1. How do you contact them and let them know where you are relocating?
2. If pagers/satellite phones are used, are they actually accessible at your
location? Are they operational?

C. Once relocation is approved what is the process, as a team what is needed for the
support of your functions
1. Coordination with other CMT Teams, command center(s), business units,
emergency operations center (EOC) during the relocation.
2. Personnel
3. Communications
4. Transportation
5. Administrative support
6. Facilities

Page 10 of 18
Exercise Handbook
Expected Actions: Part 2 (+6 – 12 hours)

+6 – 12 hours Post Event

Phase: Response Initiation/(Incident) Action Plan Development
Team Goals: Determine Nature of Problem
Establish Objectives
Determine Scope of Problem
Command Post:
Step 1: Commence initial incident response and assessment.
Objectives:
1. Mobilize and deploy CMT and equipment if necessary to command
post/emergency operations center (EOC).
2. Begin gathering information to understand the nature and scope of the
event.
3. Create a Status Report from the Initial Incident Report and journal
information.
CMT Management Staff – deploying as needed to alternate work site, or
other sites as appropriate (command post).
CMT Section Leaders and Staff – deploying to command post, on scene,
staging areas, alternate work site, and others as required.
Liaison personnel – send liaison personnel from the Command Post to
Command Center/Emergency Operations Center.

Team Members:
1. All communications logged
2. Continue to activate checklists
3. Initial Notifications Report generated
4. Create Status Report for Command Center for Briefing
5. Generate other reports as deemed necessary for the Command Staff (CMT
Management), Incident Commanders, Team Leaders, Vendors, Suppliers,
and coordinating CMTs.

Page 11 of 18
Exercise Handbook
 Narrative: Part 3 (13 - 24 hours)

It is now 13+ hours into the earthquake timeline. None of you have been able to
go home. Because of initial assessments, notification processes, personnel
relocation, all of the teams have been working almost nonstop. Your team is
exhausted.

Problem Statements:
A. How do you rotate your personnel to ensure they receive needed rest?
1. Do you have a plan for personnel rotation?
2. Do you have enough staff for rotation?
3. Who makes the decision?

B. Reports to the Command Center.

1. What reports are sent to the Command Center?
2. Who sends reports to the Command Center?
3. How are they sent?

C. What decisions are made for telecommuting?

1. Can your personnel telecommute?
2. Do you have a plan in place for your personnel to get home?
3. Does each team member have the capability to work from home?
4. Does each team member have contact information at home or do they
take it with them?

Page 12 of 18
Exercise Handbook
Expected Actions: Part 3 (13 – 24 hours):

Phase: Response Initiation / Action Plan Development

Team Goals: Determine Nature of Problem and Establish Objectives
Command Post/Emergency Operations Center (EOC):
Step 2: Command Posts/EOCs - Conduct Initial On-scene Brief.
Initial Strategic Objectives defined:
1. Understand the nature and scope of the event as pertains to your
environment.
2. Understand the issues and impacts involved.
3. Create Initial Assessment of Impacts Report.
4. Begin to develop initial strategic objectives.
5. Perform a detailed Situation Assessment.
6. Develop detailed team/personnel assignments.
7. Draft the General Activities for the next 24 hours.
8. Prepare the Incident Action Plan (IAP) for next operational period (12
hrs).
Command Post/EOC continues to notify other entities identified to support the
event.

• Teams begin to draft the General Activities.

• Determine when briefings will be held.

• Briefings should be chaired by the CMT Manager/Team Leaders

• Briefings should be attended by the CMT Manager, Team Leaders,

Section Managers, Safety, Security, Public/Media Relations, others as
deemed appropriate.

• CMT: Begin personnel assignments.

• CMT: Execute IAP for next iteration.

Page 13 of 18
Exercise Handbook
 CMT where deployed or assigned:
1. Log all communications and graphically portray on a map any information
that will help in the visualization of the General Activities.
2. Continue to activate appropriate checklists.
3. Continue to execute Checklists.
4. Continue to deploy Resources.
5. Continue to deploy Personnel/Teams.
6. Identify locations inoperable.
7. Finish Status Report for On-scene Briefing.
8. Create Incident Action Plan.
9. Attach all videos, photos and other information to the Status and Situation
Reports that are coming in from various teams.
10.If possible graphically portray Command Posts, Base Camps, Staging Areas,
Emergency Operations Centers, Alternate Work Sites, Alternate Data
Centers, etc.

Page 14 of 18
Exercise Handbook
 SEATTLE FAULT

MAPS

Page 15 of 18
Exercise Handbook
 Figure 1 Peak Ground Accelerations Magnitude 6.7
Seattle Fault earthquake 6.7 1- extent of ground motion, ground motion is at its peak
in the areas shaded in red.

1
http://seattlescenario.eeri.org/documents/EQScenarioFullBook.pdf

Page 16 of 18
Exercise Handbook
 Figure 2 Spectral Acceleration2, 0.3 second

2
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/research/hazmaps/haz101/faq/parm04.php

Page 17 of 18
Exercise Handbook
 THIS PAGE LEFT BLANK

Page 18 of 18
Exercise Handbook