VTTX – Mass Gathering Incident

Registration: https://training.fema.gov/netc_online_admissions/

Location: Mobile County EOC, 7350 Zeigler Blvd, Mobile, AL 36608

POC: Kim Bouler, 251-460-8036

Exercise Length:

Four (4) Hours. Start time is 12:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time (EST) and end time is 4:00 P.M. EST.

Exercise Description:

This Virtual Tabletop Exercise (VTTX) will focus on a mass gathering incident striking your community, drawing upon historical events and recovery actions. The VTTX involves key personnel discussing simulated scenarios in an informal setting, and can be used to assess plans, policies, training, and procedures. This VTTX differs from other tabletop exercises since it will be conducted using Video-Teleconference (VTC) technology (not a web-based program), and provides an opportunity for responders across the Nation to simultaneously participate in a hazard-specific facilitated discussion. The exercise will be led by an EMI facilitator, with local facilitation provided by the participating agency. This format will allow the common delivery of exercise materials, scenarios, modules, and discussion questions among those participating in the exercise.

Exercise Goals:

This virtual exercise will enable the participants to exercise their knowledge, skills and abilities needed to effectively prevent, protect, and respond to emergencies of varying complexities.

Overall objectives include:

1.) Prepare participants for a mass gathering incident affecting their community.

2.) Enable participants to better coordinate their response operations with counterparts from State and local governments, Federal agencies, Tribal, private sector organizations, and non-governmental agencies.

3.) Provide a virtual, experiential education environment to exercise and enhance critical response and recovery tasks.

This delivery method will allow participating communities to share real-time incident related preparation, response, and recovery concerns and solutions with all participants.

Target Audience:

The VTTX program is designed for a “community-based” group of at least 10 or more personnel from local or state emergency management organizations. Representation from all Emergency Management disciplines – public safety, public works, public health, health care, government, administrative, communications, military, private sector, non-governmental, critical stress professionals and other “whole-community” partners involved in a tornado incident response and recovery is recommended.

Other organizations invited include National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters, Information Technology, Corporate and Public Safety, Legal, Communications, and other personnel involved in incident response, as appropriate.