Planning and conducting effective operationsbased exercises is a complex and resource intensive process. The US Department of Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) describes many key elements in successfully planning and conducting operations-based exercises. The Master Scenario Events List (MSEL) is integral to the successful conduct of operations-based exercises. The MSEL is the exercise blueprint, consisting of messages, or injects, designed to test exercise objectives and drive continual exercise play. Surprisingly, there is little guidance provided in the exercise development literature or by HSEEP about how to create an effective MSEL. This article discusses essential elements for a MSEL, offers recommended steps for writing a MSEL, and then illustrates these steps using an example from an operations-based exercise.
Root cause analysis (RCA) is methodology recommended by the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) for examining why exercise objectives were not met and providing specific recommendations for corrective action. The consequence of not completing the RCA as required by HSEEP is significant. In the absence of a RCA arriving at the best corrective action is less likely. Despite its importance, there is research evidence from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study that the RCA is seldom completed. Several reasons are presented as to why the RCA is not completed including a lack of guidance as to how to conduct a RCA. An example of how to complete a RCA is provided followed by a discussion of the benefits of using the approach over traditional exercise debriefing methods. Reasons why there may be continued resistance to using RCA despite having the necessary facilitation skills and dedicated time are also discussed.
HSEEP emphasizes the importance of finding the appropriate balance between challenging players while not overwhelming them. Inherent in the transition from discussion-based to operations-based exercises is increased player stress. This transition is often overwhelming. A hybrid exercise is designed to assist exercise players in building their confidence in moving from discussing plans into testing plans and carrying out operations. It combines elements of both types of exercises with the purpose of creating a smoother transition from discussion-based to operations-based exercises. The development of a hybrid exercise is illustrated by way of a real life example. It is hoped sharing the concept of the hybrid exercise will encourage other exercise planners to examine the utility of combining elements of discussion-based and operationsbased exercises to create a smoother transition from one type to the other.
The goal of training is to improve the capability to better prepare, respond, and recover from an emergency. Much training is ineffective in transferring learning from the classroom to the field. One reason for this is that training tends to be cognitive or memory based, as opposed to experientially based. The purpose of this article is to show how Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) was applied to develop an emergency preparedness training curricula. After discussing the basic principles of ELT, the application of these principles is illustrated by way of a case example. Although the application of ELT is illustrated in the context of a public health emergency response curriculum, the steps in translating theory to practice are sufficiently robust to apply to the development of any emergency training curricula.
Exercises play a crucial role in better preparing for, responding to, and recovering from an emergency by providing opportunities for responders and officials to practice and assess their collective capabilities. Conducting a thorough evaluation of these exercises is critical to ensuring that the nation continually improves its ability to save lives and property. A major emphasis of the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) is on defining and evaluating capability- based objectives to determine the impact of an exercise. Using the integrated theory of evaluation, it is shown how a cost-effective, quality evaluation of operations- based exercises can be conducted while simultaneously not interfering or adding to the burden of exercise players, controllers, or evaluators. It is hoped that this article will act as a catalyst in moving HSEEP to recognize the potential of other sources of information to assist in conducting a more comprehensive evaluation and amend their guidelines accordingly.
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