Diamond ChallengeAn Earthquake Based Continuity Tabletop Exercise

Little Rock, ARApril 16, 2011

Agenda

Time Activity

9:00 AM Exercise Overview

9:10 AM Tabletop Exercise

10:45 AM HOT WASH

10:55 AM Closing Remarks

Exercise Purpose

Diamond Challenge is a Continuity Tabletop exercise designed to establish a learning environment for participants to exercise their Continuity Plan, policies and procedures. This exercise will also provide a format for participants to collaborate openly and build upon relationships with external partners.

Exercise ObjectivesReview and discuss Agency Continuity Plans with a specific emphasis on the functions listed below:

1. Discuss ability to respond to the needs of customers while also affected by the same continuity event.

2. Discuss the ability for inter-agency collaboration with external partners during a continuity event.

3. Discuss agency orders of succession/delegations of authority.4. Discuss procedures surrounding use of agency continuity facilities.5. Discuss the usage of agency continuity communications.6. Discuss access to agency vital records.7. Discuss agency’s management of human capital.8. Touch on agency plans for reconstitution.

Exercise Ground RulesThe tabletop exercise environment is intended to be a stress-free environment, conducive to open conversation and exchange. Brainstorming techniques and free, non-attribution discussions are highly encouraged. The following guidelines apply when brainstorming with your group:

Active participation is encouraged. Emphasis placed on objectives not the scenario. Offer inputs based on facts; avoid hearsay. Focus on solutions, not blame. Respect all ideas and comments. All ideas are GOOD ideas.

Post Exercise Development

Following the exercise, organizations are encouraged to:

Write an After Action Report (AAR) highlighting the best practices and lessons learned from the exercise.

Implement a corrective action plan to enhance any

areas identified for improvement.

Exercise Concept of Play

Four Major Events (ME) will be delivered via PowerPoint. Following each ME, the facilitator will entertain a brief

discussion on what, if anything, the scenario would prompt your organization to do.

Once this has concluded, the facilitator will cover a series of ME related injects to spur discussion about aspects of your continuity plans.

This process will repeat for all ME’s and inject series.

Questions?

Major Event One

A 7.0 magnitude earthquake has caused major damage to Little Rock and surrounding areas. The quake was centered about 21 miles northwest of the capital and hit the area at 4:15 AM. It lasted for nearly 2 minutes. Tremors could be felt in southern Missouri as well as western Tennessee. Many buildings and bridges have sustained significant structural damage and several have collapsed. Major roadways are blocked. Several fires have been reported across the city and power is out in many areas. Thousands are feared dead. Emergency rescue teams are working to free people trapped in collapsed buildings and under debris.

Exercise Time: 9:10 AMScenario Time: Day One

Major Event One

Activity Time

Group Discussion 9:10 – 9:35 AM

Major Event One: Inject One

Human Capital and Continuity Communications

Leadership is concerned that employees may have been injured and may need help. They would like an accounting of all employees as well as their health status.

• What processes do you have in place for employee accountability?

• Do you have back up processes if the primary means of communications are down?

Major Event One: Inject Two

Continuity Plan Activation

• Who makes the decision to activate the organization’s Continuity Plan?

• What are the triggers to activate the plan?

Major Event One: Inject Three

Continuity Plan

What are the immediate actions following the decision to activate the Continuity Plan?

Major Event One: Inject Four

Continuity Facility

• Have all of your employees visited your alternate site and do they need special credentialing for access?

• Are there alternate routes to the site if main roads and bridges are blocked?

Major Event Two

Transportation in and out of the area is severely limited. Portions of I-630, I-430 and I-30 are blocked with debris. Critical infrastructure teams are working to clear the roadways and make repairs, but it could take days before major blockages are cleared.

Exercise Time: 9:35 PMScenario Time: Day Two

Major Event Two

Activity Time

Group Discussion 9:35 – 10:00 AM

Major Event Two: Inject One

Orders of Succession/Delegations of Authority

Several key personnel have not been accounted for and some are unable to report due to family emergencies or inability to traverse transportation blockages.

• What individuals provide back up for these positions?

• Have they been trained on the roles and the responsibilities of these key positions?

Major Event Two: Inject Two

Essential Functions

• What are your organization’s essential functions and how will you carry them out with limited people and resources and the likely increase on demand for services from the public?

• How do you prioritize your essential functions?

Major Event Two: Inject Three

Vital Records

Employees are reporting difficulty logging into the network at the alternate facility to retrieve necessary documents.

• What are some of the vital records employees will need to perform essential functions?

• What processes are in place to backup these records if they are not available through regular avenues?

Major Event Two: Inject Four

Continuity Communications

What means of communication do you use and how often do you maintain contact with employees who are not working at the alternate site?

Major Event Three

Exercise Time: 10:00 AMScenario Time: Day Four

University Hospital and St. Vincent Doctors Hospital were severely damaged and only partially operational. Patients have been transferred to neighboring hospitals wherever possible. Hospitals throughout the area are working at surge capacity. Morgue facilities have been overwhelmed. Counties within the immediate area of the quake and along the fault line are becoming overwhelmed by the amount of damage and loss of resources sustained during the quake. Requests are beginning to pour into the State for assistance.

Major Event Three

Activity Time

Group Discussion 10:00 – 10:25 AM

Major Event Three: Inject One

Continuity Communications/Essential Functions

Who are the organization’s customers and/or external partners?

Major Event Three: Inject Two

Continuity Communications

Are there processes in place to keep these individuals and/or organizations informed of your organization’s new location and contact information?

Major Event Three: Inject Three

Essential Functions

What kinds of requests might you expect from overwhelmed customers hit hard by the earthquake?

Major Event Three: Inject Four

Essential Functions

How, or can your organization respond to those requests while working with limited resources and personnel?

Major Event Four

Little Rock continues to be shaken by aftershocks. Pipelines have burst disrupting water supplies. Water distribution centers have been set up for affected areas at local schools and churches. The earthquake caused numerous fires that are being exacerbated by the limited water supply. The city is working with mutual aid partners to bring in needed supplies and support.

Exercise Time: 10:25 AMScenario Time: One Week

Major Event Four

Activity Time

Group Discussion 10:25 – 10:45 PM

Major Event Four: Inject One

Continuity Facility

ERG members have been following the news and are concerned about the water supply issues in the area.

• What supplies and how many days worth are stored at the alternate facility?

• Also, is there backup power?

Major Event Four: Inject Two

Budgeting/Acquisition

What plans do you have in place to acquire needed supplies at the continuity facility if your regular suppliers are unavailable or incapacitated?

Major Event Four: Inject Three

Human Capital

In the weeks and months to come as people struggle to rebuild their lives and homes and some even opt to start anew in another location, what processes do you have in place to hire replacement employees?

Major Event Four: Inject Four

Reconstitution

• When do you begin planning for reconstituting back to the primary site or to a new primary site?

• What are some considerations for reconstitution?

• Who would be the best person to lead a reconstitution effort?

Is Devolution an option?

Hot Wash.

• Three best practices• Three lessons learned

• Surveys

End of Exercise Diamond Challenge

Thank you for your participation!