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Guidelines for Transportation Emergency Training Exercises
highlights existing federal regulations, recommendations, and programs to support transportation
exercises.
Section 2 introduces the concept of a progressive exercise program and highlights new and emerg-
ing programs sponsored by FEMA and the G&T. This section also provides an overview of the seven
different types of exercises that make up a progressive exercise program.
Section 3 illustrates how a progressive exercise program can be established in the transportation
environment and provides information on program costs and grant funding opportunities.
Section 4 describes how an agency can plan, design, conduct, and evaluate discussion-based exer-
cises that will help improve the agency's ability to respond to transportation emergencies. This section
includes references to forms and templates that can be used by a transportation agency to address
specific needs.
Section 5 outlines and describes how an agency can plan, design, conduct, and evaluate operations-
based exercises that will help improve the agency's ability to respond to transportation emergencies.
This section includes references to forms and templates that can be used by a transportation agency to
address specific needs.
Appendixes to the guidelines include an abbreviation list (Appendix A), a glossary of terms (Appen-
dix B), a detailed bibliography with URLs to locate materials on the Internet (Appendix C), and a list of
training and exercise websites for additional information (Appendix D).
Attachments to the guidelines include
Information on the NRP and NIMS and how they affect transportation agencies (Attachment 1);
A transportation exercise evaluation guide in compliance with DHS recommendations (Attach-
ment 2);
A template for performing a needs assessment to direct exercise programs (Attachment 3);
A set of exercise design objectives (Attachment 4);
A set of materials to support exercise development, implementation, and evaluation (Attach-
ment 5); and
A set of materials that support the development of transportation incident response typologies for
use in developing emergency exercises (Attachment 6).
WHY CONDUCT EXERCISES?
Transportation agencies are vulnerable to a range of events that may result in emergencies. Table 1
illustrates some of the most likely of these events, organized into categories of human-caused events
(both intentional and unintentional) and naturally occurring events.
An exercise is a focused practice activity that places the participants in a simulated situation that requires
them to function in the capacity that would be expected of them in a real event. A good, well-evaluated exer-
cise reveals inconsistencies in plans, highlights deficiencies in resources, and underscores any need for
additional training.
Going directly into a real emergency operation without practicing in exercises involves substantial risks.
For example, many participants may not know or thoroughly understand what their emergency respon-
sibilities are or how these responsibilities relate to activities performed for other elements of the
response. Equipment may not function as expected, and procedures may not be as effective as
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Guidelines for Transportation Emergency Training Exercises
TABLE 1 EMERGENCY EVENTS AFFECTING TRANSPORTATION AGENCIES
Human-Caused
Naturally Occurring
Intentional Unintentional
Droughts Bomb Threats and Other Accidental Contamination or
Dust/Wind Storms Threats of Violence Hazardous Materials Spills
Earthquakes Disruption of Supply Sources Accidental Damage to or
Electrical Storms Fire/Arson Destruction of Physical Plant
Floods Fraud/Embezzlement and Assets
High Winds Labor Disputes/Strikes Accidents That Affect the
Hurricanes Misuse of Resources Transportation System
Ice Storms Riot/Civil Disorder Gas Outages
Landslides Sabotage: External and Human Errors
Naturally Occurring Internal Actors HVAC System Failures or
Epidemics Security Breaches Malfunctions
Snowstorms and Terrorist Assaults Using Inappropriate Training on
Blizzards Chemical, Biological, Emergency Procedures
Tornadoes Radiological, or Nuclear Power Outages
Tropical Storms Agents Software/Hardware Failures
Tsunamis Terrorist Assaults Using or Malfunctions
Typhoons Explosives, Firearms, or Unavailability of Key
Wildfires Conventional Weapons Personnel
Theft Uninterruptible Power Supply
Vandalism (UPS) Failure or Malfunction
War Voice and Data
Workplace Violence Telecommunications Failures
or Malfunctions
Water Outages
anticipated. Such risks, when thoughtfully considered, are unacceptable to most transportation agen-
cies. Accordingly, a broad spectrum of exercise activity is necessary if functional emergency response
and recovery capability is to be realistically assessed and improved.
Well-designed and -executed exercises are the most effective means of:
Testing and validating policies, plans, procedures, training, equipment, and interagency agreements;
Clarifying and training personnel in roles and responsibilities;
Demonstrating mastery of standard and emergency operating procedures, communications,
equipment, and public information dissemination;
Improving internal agency and interagency coordination and communications;
Identifying gaps in resources;
Improving individual performance; and
Identifying specific actions that should be taken to improve the response capability.
Exercises are also an excellent way to demonstrate community resolve and cooperation to prepare for
disastrous events. Review of successful responses to emergencies over the years has shown that pre-
emergency exercising pays huge dividends when an actual emergency occurs. This is especially true
in instances where communities were involved in full-scale exercises that tested the range of response
activities, communications protocols, and resources to be applied.
As providers of a public service, transportation agencies have a responsibility to
Ensure customer and employee safety and security at all times,
Train employees so that they know what to do when an emergency occurs,
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