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Exercise Development

Exercise Development Procedures

The goal of IEMA's Exercise Program is to improve the overall readiness and targeted capabilities of emergency response.  The program validates training and emergency plans/procedures, revealing strengths and weaknesses, demonstrating operational capabilities, and preparing personnel for real world events. This readiness is implemented through FEMA’s building block approach of seminars, workshops, tabletops, games, drills, functional and full-scale exercises, which are defined by the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP). 

All exercises must be planned and conducted in accordance with HSEEP, which is consistent with the National Incident Management System, Illinois Emergency Operations Plan, Illinois Disaster Management System, and applicable Homeland Security Presidential Directives and policies. All exercises must include a written After-Action Report (AAR) and Corrective Action/Improvement Plan consistent with the guidelines outlined in HSEEP, which then must be submitted to the county in which the municipality resides.

In September 2018, the IEMA 29 Illinois Administrative Code 301 was updated providing numerous changes in the number of exercises, who approves them, and potential exercise credit for real world incidents. The following documents will provide a road map for exercise planning teams to follow to meet these requirements. 

Linked here is the actual Administrative Code 301 for exercise requirements.
Breakdown of Requirements
Breakdown of Requirements
Below is a breakdown of discussion vs operations based exercises and the requirements needed to fit within certain time frame.  Some of the forms mentioned are linked further down the page for convenience.

Discussion based exercises need to have a development time of 3 to 6 months.  The recommended number of objectives for a table top are 3 to 5 objectives.

Types of Exercises Implementation Of Required and Recommended Forms
Seminars:
  • Plan orientation
  • Access capabilities
 Jurisdiction:
  • Plans, policies, & procedures
Inter-Jurisdiction: 
  • Agreements & understandings
Participants: 
  • Facilitators
  • Moderators
  • Evaluators
  • Stakeholders/Senior Leadership
 Required Forms:
  • Exercise request form
  • Participant feedback form
  • AAR/IP
Recommended Forms:
  • Situation manual (Sitman)
  • Facilitator guide
  • Multimedia presentation
  • Master task List
 Workshops:
  • Analyze requirements
  • Develop product
 Jurisdiction:
  • Plans, policies, & procedures
Inter-Jurisdiction: 
  • Agreements & understandings
Participants: 
  • Facilitators
  • Moderators
  • Evaluators
  • Stakeholders/Senior Leadership
 Required Forms:
  • Exercise request form
  • Participant feedback form
  • AAR/IP
Recommended Forms:
  • Situation manual (Sitman)
  • Facilitator guide
  • Multimedia presentation
  • Master task list
Tabletop (TTX)
  •  Rehearsal
  • Assess plans
 Jurisdiction:
  • Plans, policies, & procedures
Inter-Jurisdiction: 
  • Agreements & understandings
Participants: 
  • Facilitators
  • Moderators
  • Evaluators
  • Stakeholders/Senior Leadership
 Required Forms:
  • Exercise request form
  • Situation manual (Sitman)
  • Facilitator guide
  • Multimedia Presentation
  • Participant feedback form
  • AAR/IP
Recommended Forms:
  • Master task list
Games
  • Collaboration
  • Validate plans
  • Explore consequences                                      
 Jurisdiction:
  • Plans, policies, & procedures
Inter-Jurisdiction: 
  • Agreements & understandings
Participants: 
  • Facilitators
  • Moderators
  • Evaluators
  • Stakeholders/Senior Leadership
 Required Forms:
  • Exercise request form
  • Situation manual (Sitman)
  • Facilitator guide
  • Multimedia Presentation
  • Participant feedback form
  • AAR/IP
Recommended Forms:
  • Master task list

Operations based exercises need to have a development time of 6 to 8 months when they are functional.  These exercises should have 5-7 objectives.  Should the exercise be a full scale exercise allow 8+ months for development time and include 8+ objectives.

Types of Exercises Implementation Of Required and Recommended Forms
Drills:
  • Single agency
  • Provides training and skills reinforcement 
  • Validates procedures
 Jurisdiction:
  • Plans, policies, & procedures
Inter-Jurisdiction: 
  • Agreements & understandings
Participants: 
  • Controllers
  • Evaluators
  • Actors
  • Players
  • Observers/VIPs
 Required Forms:
  • Exercise request form
  • Exercise Plan (ExPlan)
  • Controller & evaluator handbook
  • Master Scenario Events List (MSEL)
  • Exercise Evaluation Guides (EEGs)
  • Participant feedback form
  • AAR/IP
Recommended Forms:
  • Waiver forms
  • Weapons and safety policy
Functional Exercises:
  •  Validates/evaluates capabilities
  • Command, control and coordination of functions
 Jurisdiction:
  •  Plans, policies, & procedures
Inter-Jurisdiction:
  • Agreements & understandings
Participants:
  • Controllers
  • Evaluators
  • Actors
  • Players
  • Observers/VIPs
 Required Forms:
  • Exercise request form
  • Exercise plan (ExPlan)
  • Controller & evaluator handbook
  • Master Scenario Events List (MSEL)
  • Exercise Evaluation Guides (EEGs)
  • Participant feedback form
  • AAR/IP
Recommended Forms:
  • Waiver forms
  • Weapons and safety policy
 Full Scale Exercises:
  • Complex real time response
  • Multi-agency cooperation (ICS) 
 Jurisdiction:
  • Plans, policies, & procedures
Inter-Jurisdiction: 
  • Agreements & understandings
Participants: 
  • Controllers
  • Evaluators
  • Actors
  • Players
  • Observers/VIPs
 Required Forms:
  • Exercise request form
  • Exercise Plan (ExPlan)
  • Controller & evaluator handbook
  • Master Scenario Events List (MSEL)
  • Exercise Evaluation Guides (EEGs)
  • Participant feedback form
  • AAR/IP
Recommended Forms:
  • Waiver forms
  • Weapons and safety policy
Exercise Documents
Exercise Documents

Below is a list of documents that are either needed or will assist with the completion of needed documents. 

For example, the FEMA Core Capability Development Sheet may provide insight when drafting your objectives, review the Capability Targets sub header within the core capabilities being tested. 

The public FEMA Prep Toolkit for Resources and HSEEP may provide additional assistance: https://preptoolkit.fema.gov/welcome

Exercise Contact
Exercise Contact
If you have questions or need to submit forms to DuPage County, please reach out to:

Craig Dieckman
Craig.Dieckman@dupageco.org
630-407-2916
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