Sample Exercise Objectives
(Discussion-Based)

The following are sample objectives for a discussion-based exercise. Planning team members should limit the number of objectives to four or five. These objectives may be combined or modified as needed; the objectives listed here do not constitute an all-inclusive list. The selected objectives should be based on the scope, type (i.e., seminar, workshop, tabletop exercise [TTX]), scenario, and/or subject of the exercise. For example, a TTX with a terrorism scenario involving a biological agent should include objectives that focus on medical and public health issues.

Interagency Planning and Coordination Objectives

Community Response Plans. Assess the adequacy of local, communitywide, and agency-specific plans to respond to a terrorist incident. Identify shortfalls in resources, limits in capabilities, and conflicts in planning.

Local Decision making Process. Exercise the local decision making process, and identify areas that need refinement. Identify key actions to be taken and who will take them.

Public-Private Sector Interface. Examine interactions between public and private sectors during the threat or actual occurrence of a terrorist incident.

Interfacing with Local, State, and Federal Agencies. Examine the interface and understanding among local, State, and Federal agencies in the conduct of incident management activities.

Awareness of Federal Plans. Expand the local response community’s understanding of Federal directives and plans (e.g., National Incident Management System [NIMS], National Response Framework [NRF]) and Federal agencies’ roles in responding to a terrorist threat.

Resource Coordination Objectives

Awareness of State and Federal Capabilities. Broaden the understanding of local authorities and responders regarding the capabilities available from State and Federal agencies in responding to a terrorist incident.

Local Resource Coordination. Determine strengths and weaknesses in local coordination and integration of response resources. Identify critical issues and potential solutions.

Mutual Aid Agreements. Review interjurisdictional mutual support compacts or agreements (between adjacent communities, inter-State, and nationwide).

Implementation of External Assets. Examine factors involved in the request, receipt, use, and integration of external response assets by local Incident Command System (ICS) protocols. Identify interoperability shortcomings, including potential time delays, that will impede rapid assimilation of external resources. Propose potential long-term solutions and short-term workarounds.

Deployment of External Resources. Develop an understanding of deployment considerations for external resources, potential time delays in receipt of external support, and inherent effects at the local level. Assess the local capability of distributing and administering medicines and other treatment to victims.

Threat/Hazard-Related Issues

Threat Preparation. Examine various threats posed by a terrorist incident and the implications to the local medical and response communities (e.g., attack detection, mass casualties, points of dispensing, patient tracking).

Criminal Investigations. Discuss ways to integrate response efforts with the need to investigate the nature and cause of a terrorist incident including security, evidence collection, and interview procedures and protocols. Examine requirements for protection of a crime scene and evidence collection in a contaminated environment.

Detection. Assess the capability of local response personnel to detect, identify, monitor, and respond to the effects of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or high-yield explosives (CBRNE) agent.

Medical and Public Health

Medical Capabilities. Determine major shortcomings in local medical capabilities to identify and treat casualties resulting from a terrorist incident. Identify the means to obtain resources, and assess the impact of delays in their receipt.

Disposition of Remains. Discuss factors that would affect the handling of substantial numbers of contaminated remains.

Remediation and Reconstitution. Assess the local response community’s ability to contain agent contamination including decontamination and use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Identify available methods of decontamination for structures, response equipment, healthcare facilities, and personnel, as well as reconstitution of equipment and supplies.

Affected Area Access and Quarantine. Review plans for area access control and quarantine issues.

Medical Monitoring and Surveillance. Review the local medical, emergency medical transport, and public health department capabilities to recognize, identify, monitor, and respond to a terrorist incident.

Public Information and Media

Public Information. Discuss options to provide timely information to the population and assist in minimizing chaos. Review plans to preclude dissemination of conflicting data.

Media Control. Assess the adequacy of local plans for interface with and use of media resources. Discuss how media will be coordinated when State and Federal agencies are involved.