After Action Report / Improvement Plan Operation Hard Luck Full-Scale Exercise
April 6, 2012
AFTER ACTION REPORT / IMPROVEMENT PLAN
Palm Beach County Division of Emergency Management
ADMINISTRATIVE HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS
1. The title of this document is The "Operation Hard Luck - A Hurricane Response Exercise" After Action Report.
2. The information gathered in this AAR/IP is classified as For Official Use Only (FOUO) and should be handled as sensitive information not to be disclosed. This document should be safeguarded, handled, transmitted, and stored in accordance with appropriate security directives.
3. At a minimum, the attached materials will be disseminated only on a need-to-know basis and when unattended, will be stored in a locked container or area offering sufficient protection against theft, compromise, inadvertent access, and unauthorized disclosure.
4. Points of Contact:
County Emergency Management:
Bill Johnson
Palm Beach County Division of Emergency Management
(Office) 561-712-6330
(E-Mail)
Exercise Director:
Jeff Goldberg
Palm Beach County Division of Emergency Management
(Office) 561-712-6483
(E-Mail)
CONTENTS
ADMINISTRATIVE HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS 2
CONTENTS 3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4
SECTION 1: EXERCISE OVERVIEW 5
Exercise Details 5
Participant Information 6
SECTION 2: EXERCISE DESIGN SUMMARY 7
Exercise Purpose and Design 7
Exercise Objectives, Capabilities and Activities 8
Scenario Summary 8
SECTION 3: ANALYSIS OF CAPABILITIES 10
SECTION 4: CONCLUSION 24
APPENDIX A: IMPROVEMENT PLAN 26
APPENDIX B: PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK (3 THUMBS UP – 3 THUMBS DOWN) 27
APPENDIX C: ACRONYMS 56
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Operation Hard Luck - A Hurricane Response Exercise was designed and facilitated to evaluate emergency response procedures, identify areas for improvement and achieve a collaborative attitude among the various organizations and agencies participating.
The purpose of this report is to analyze exercise results, identify strengths to be maintained and built upon, identify potential areas for further improvement, and support development of corrective actions.
Incorporated in Section 3: Analysis of Capabilities of this After Action Report is a comprehensive listing of each Target Capability with its associated Major Strengths, Primary Areas for Improvement and Improvement Recommendations
SECTION 1: EXERCISE OVERVIEW
Exercise Details
Exercise Name: / Operation Hard Luck - A Hurricane Response ExerciseType of Exercise: / Tabletop
Exercise Start Date: / April 6, 2012
Duration: / Three Hours
Location: / Palm Beach County
Sponsor: / Palm Beach County Division of Emergency Management
Program: The purpose of this exercise is to evaluate player actions against current response plans and capabilities for a response to a hurricane.
Purpose: The exercise was designed to evaluate emergency response procedures, identify areas for improvement and achieve a collaborative attitude among the various organizations and agencies participating.
The exercise focused on the following objectives:
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Objectives:
· Validate basic understanding of CERT processes and procedures.
· Assess understanding of CERT Communications Standard Operating Guidelines.
· Assess the ability to gather and transmit damage reports via various methods.
Volunteer Reception Center Objectives:
· Assess processes for mobilization and demobilization.
· Assess adequacy of telecommunication systems.
· Validate current staffing levels.
· Determine volunteer throughput.
Emergency Operating Area (EOA) Objectives:
· Assess processes for mobilization and demobilization.
· Validate communications procedures.
· Determine ability to coordinate EOA tasks.
· Validate process for developing an Incident Action Plan.
Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) Objectives:
· Assess use of ham radio communications with EOC, EOAs and CERTs using assigned repeater and simplex frequencies.
· Validate established protocol for emergency communications traffic.
· Determine efficacy of ham radio equipment in EOA trailers and personal antenna systems brought by ARES operators.
Mass Care Objectives:
· Demonstrate ability to provide mass care feeding support systems.
· Evaluate adequacy of mass care feeding support systems.
· Validate current mass care feeding services plans and procedures.
· Exercise participants will work through scenario information and injects following the landfall of a hurricane within the county.
Mission: To provide an opportunity for various organizations that make up the Palm Beach County’s emergency management team to assess their capabilities.
Scenario Type: Hurricane
Participant Information
Participant / Organizations / LocationsAmateur Radio
American Red Cross
Community Emergency Response Team - Palm Beach County
Emergency Operating Area
Volunteer Reception Center
Number of Participants / 234
SECTION 2: EXERCISE DESIGN SUMMARY
Exercise Purpose and Design
The exercise was designed to evaluate emergency response procedures, identify areas for improvement and achieve a collaborative attitude among the various organizations and agencies participating.
The exercise focused on the following objectives:
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Objectives:
· Validate basic understanding of CERT processes and procedures.
· Assess understanding of CERT Communications Standard Operating Guidelines.
· Assess the ability to gather and transmit damage reports via various methods.
Volunteer Reception Center Objectives:
· Assess processes for mobilization and demobilization.
· Assess adequacy of telecommunication systems.
· Validate current staffing levels.
· Determine volunteer throughput.
Emergency Operating Area (EOA) Objectives:
· Assess processes for mobilization and demobilization.
· Validate communications procedures.
· Determine ability to coordinate EOA tasks.
· Validate process for developing an Incident Action Plan.
Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) Objectives:
· Assess use of ham radio communications with EOC, EOAs and CERTs using assigned repeater and simplex frequencies.
· Validate established protocol for emergency communications traffic.
· Determine efficacy of ham radio equipment in EOA trailers and personal antenna systems brought by ARES operators.
Mass Care Objectives:
· Demonstrate ability to provide mass care feeding support systems.
· Evaluate adequacy of mass care feeding support systems.
· Validate current mass care feeding services plans and procedures.
Exercise participants will work through scenario information and injects following the landfall of a hurricane within the county.
Exercise Objectives, Capabilities and Activities
Capabilities-based planning allows for the exercise planning team to develop exercise objectives and observe exercise outcomes through a framework of specific action items that were derived from the Target Capabilities List (TCL). The capabilities listed below form the foundation for the organization of all objectives and observations in this exercise. Additionally, each capability is linked to several corresponding activities and tasks to provide additional detail.
Based upon the identified exercise objectives below, the exercise planning team decided to demonstrate the following capabilities during this exercise:
On-Site Incident ManagementActivity / Target Capability
# 1 / Implement On-Site Incident Management
# 2 / Establish Full On-Site Incident Command
# 3 / Resource Management
# 4 / Develop Incident Action Plan (IAP)
# 5 / Demobilize Operations
Mass Care – Feeding
Activity / Target Capability
# 1 / Establish Feeding Operations
Volunteer Coordination
Activity / Target Capability
# 1 / Coordinate Management for Unaffiliated Volunteer Management Operations
Scenario Summary
Overnight Hurricane Jason slammed into Palm Beach County with sustained winds recorded at 161 MPH.
Damage due to the storm is severe and widespread with thousands of homes completely destroyed. In addition to the damage caused by the storm, several hundred individuals have been injured and the death toll currently standing at 47 is expected to continue to rise.
The county's electrical, water and sewage infrastructure has been crippled and roads throughout the region are clogged with downed utility poles, trees and other storm debris.
All of the county's Emergency Operating Areas have been activated and along with the county's Volunteer Reception Center.
Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) throughout the region have mobilized and are assisting residents and assessing damage within their community.
SECTION 3: ANALYSIS OF CAPABILITIES
On-Site Incident Management
Performance / Target CapabilityAdequate /
Activity # 1: Implement On-Site Incident Management
Associated Critical TasksTask # 1.1: Emergency Operating Area (EOA) staff establishes Incident Command.
Adequate / Evaluator # 1
Observations / · Good structure, clearly defined roles.
Recommendations / · Better communication between the EOA staff and Ham Radio operators.
· Set up posts closer to one another.
· More education on responsibilities of participants.
Strong / Evaluator # 2
Observations / · None
Recommendations / · None
Strong / Evaluator # 3
Observations / · The team was very good and fast in setting up their Incident Command, including setting up the necessary equipment, and identifying the positions each would fill.
Recommendations / · This EOA needs more staff, or more staff to attend.
· They definitely did not have enough personnel to fill all the positions that needed to be filled, and this posed a major problem.
Adequate / Evaluator # 4
Observations / · Little late setting up ICS.
Recommendations / · EOA Coordinator needs to be easily identified.
· Trailer did not have ICS vest or at least they could not locate them.
Adequate / Evaluator # 5
Observations / · Most EOA staff showed up late, I was not able to give my briefing till 8:45AM and then the Incident Commander gave hers.
· Many of the EOA staff did not show up in the proper clothing, some had dresses, sandals, heels, etc. The IC did address this.
· The IC explained what was to be accomplished in the exercise and then established the command staff and the strike teams.
· EOA # 1 was only able to get 1 computer up and running and that kept us running behind in the exercise.
Recommendations / · Make sure the EOA staff members are aware of how to dress for exercise and real incident. Many of the EOA staff had not attended any training to be prepared for this exercise.
Strong / Evaluator # 6
Observations / · Staff members communicated well in coordinating site set up and establishing incident command.
Recommendations / · None
Task # 1.2: Initiate and implement ICS.
Adequate / Evaluator # 1
Observations / · Clearly defined ICS structure Pre-defined roles and responsibilities.
Recommendations / · More laptops for information input.
· Each position should have access to job descriptions.
· More training on position responsibilities, i.e. EOA Planning Section Chief Training, EOA Strike Team training etc.
Strong / Evaluator # 2
Observations / · None
Recommendations / · None
Strong / Evaluator # 3
Observations / · Again, those on the team who were there knew what needed to be done and did what they could.
· Steve was an excellent leader, making sure that he kept checking with everyone to ensure they were on task, or to check if they needed anything.
Recommendations / · Once again, staffing was an issue.
· They did follow ICS, but had problems due to the fact that they did not have enough people.
Adequate / Evaluator # 4
Observations / · Could not find ICS vest and some forms were only single side when they should have been a two sided form.
Recommendations / · Trailers need to be routinely checked by the EOA staff to become familiar with equipment and supply locations.
Adequate / Evaluator # 5
Observations / · The IC established a check in, explained the forms to be used for the exercise, established communications, divided participants into strike teams and established who would be keeping track of equipment.
Recommendations / · Training - many of the participants first time.
Strong / Evaluator #6
Observations / · Implemented ICS standards very well.
Recommendations / · None
Performance / Target Capability
Adequate /
Activity # 2: Establish Full On-Site Incident Command
Associated Critical TasksTask # 2.1: Establish the command structure to manage the incident and meet objectives.
Non-Existent / Evaluator # 1
Observations / · IAP objectives undefined for the group.
Recommendations / · Better communication of incident objectives to group.
· Have planning work on IAP instead of Incident Commander.
Strong / Evaluator # 2
Observations / · Clear / organized.
Recommendations / · None
Weak / Evaluator # 3
Observations / · Without enough personnel, this did not happen.
· Objectives were not prepared, nor was an IAP.
· Individuals had to wear several hats and therefore things did not go as they should.
· Once again, they did the best they could with what they had.
Recommendations / · They need more staff in order to do what they need to do successfully.
· There was a lot that slipped through the cracks as a result.
Adequate / Evaluator # 4
Observations / · None
Recommendations / · None
Adequate / Evaluator # 5
Observations / · Incident Commander appointed Planning Chief, Operations Chief, Logistics Chief and Safety Officer.
· Safety officer gave safety briefing.
Recommendations / · None
Strong / Evaluator # 6
Observations / · Did well at meeting objectives despite having to fill multiple positions due to limited staffing.
Recommendations / · None
Performance / Target Capability
Adequate /
Activity # 3: Resource Management
Associated Critical TasksTask # 3.1: Establish processes to order, track, assign, and release incident resources.
Strong / Evaluator # 1
Observations / · Good use of white board to track mission and resources
Recommendations / · Better communication between communications and planning. Need to verify missions from Ham Radio as being from a reliable source.
Strong / Evaluator # 2
Observations / · Organized assigning IAP & Objectives.
· Well done.
Recommendations / · None
Strong / Evaluator # 3
Observations / · They did a very good job staying on top of this, and even put in a request for more personnel knowing they were so short-staffed.
Recommendations / · They could use some additional practice or training on WebEOC to become really efficient.
Adequate / Evaluator # 4
Observations / · Some confusion however overcame and processed information correctly. Worker accountability needs improvement.
· Workers signed in in the beginning but the sign desk was not staffed throughout the exercise.
Recommendations / · Needs to staff accountability table throughout and during the briefing make sure workers understand the check-in and check-out procedures.
Adequate / Evaluator # 5
Observations / · Strike teams were instructed to use the 214 for their assignments, a resource log was established for equipment such as vehicles, I advised them to use the 205 for radios and advised them to keep a radio communications log.