The document summarizes a simulated bio-terrorism response exercise involving two teams - Team Response and Team Tech. The exercise had three goals or "wishes": 1) achieve the exercise goals, 2) provide lessons for the future, and 3) maximize the benefits of time and money invested. While the first goal was achieved by training personnel and engaging volunteers, synergy between the teams was slow. The second goal generated lessons but they were not new. The third goal was not achieved as alignment of expectations and consideration of social factors was lacking. The takeaway is that planning, clear expectations, and understanding impacts are needed to fully realize benefits of such exercises.

1. You Get What You Plan For!
Susanne Jul, PhD
Amaryllis Consulting, LLC
Susanne.Jul@gmail.com

2. Once Upon a Time...

4. One
Exercise
Two
Teams
Three
Wishes
1 2 3

5. The Exercise

6. Simulated bio-terrorism attack
Regional event
Sector disaster

7. Simulated bio-terrorism attack
Regional event
Sector disaster

8. Simulated bio-terrorism attack
Regional event
Sector disaster

9. Simulated bio-terrorism attack
Regional event
Sector disaster

10. Mobile
field workers

11. Field command
posts
Mobile
field workers

12. Field command
posts
Mobile Schools
field workers and clinics

13. Field command
posts
Mobile Schools
field workers and clinics

14. Field command
posts
Mobile Schools
field workers and clinics
Emergency Operations Center
(EOC)

15. The Two Teams

16. Team Response
Local emergency response staff
Experts from other jurisdictions

17. Team Tech
Software engineer/architect
Public health advisor
Observing management staff

18. The Three Wishes

19. The Three Wishes
1 2 3

20. The First Wish
May the exercise goals be achieved
The Second Wish
May there be lessons for the future
The Third Wish
May the time, effort and money invested
in the exercise produce as much benefit as
possible

21. 1
The First Wish
May the exercise goals be achieved
The Second Wish
May there be lessons for the future
The Third Wish
May the time, effort and money invested
in the exercise produce as much benefit as
possible

22. 1
The First Wish
May the exercise goals be achieved
2
The Second Wish
May there be lessons for the future
The Third Wish
May the time, effort and money invested
in the exercise produce as much benefit as
possible

23. 1
The First Wish
May the exercise goals be achieved
2
The Second Wish
May there be lessons for the future
3
The Third Wish
May the time, effort and money invested
in the exercise produce as much benefit as
possible

24. The First Wish
May the exercise goals be achieved

25. Team Response
Train
Personnel
Coordination with public health agencies
Test Plans
Activating volunteer responders
Mass distribution of antibiotics
Let
Volunteer responders practice using different
communication technologies

26. Team Tech
Test Technology
Enable direct information flows from
the field to the EOC
Determine whether volunteer
responders would transmit data
Provide incident command team with
live data visualizations

27. Personnel Trained
Coordination Practiced
Volunteers Engaged
Data Flowed

28. Personnel Trained
Coordination Practiced
Volunteers Engaged
Data Flowed

29. The First Wish
May the exercise goals be achieved

30. Granted!

31. Granted!
1

32. The Second Wish
May there be lessons for the future

33. !
2-5 technologies concurrently or in rapid
succession
Paper is # 1

34. !
Prototype not integrated with team
response technologies (including
paper)

35. Lesson One
Assume a Diversity of Technologies (Including
Paper)
Lesson Two
Include Technology Briefing in Incident Orientations
Lesson Three
Prepare for and Train Information Responders
Lesson Four
Focus on Critical Actionable Information

36. Time from
# Quote Speaker
start (hr:min)
Incident
1 1:40 “There’s no information coming in!”
Commander
“It’s great that you guys [Team Tech]
Incident
2 1:55 know everything, we [Team Response] just
Commander
need what’s critical.”
“You need someone here [Team Tech table], Information
3 2:35
watching the update.” Officer
“You want to show her the summary … Team Tech
4 3:25
the summary by neighborhood?” Member

37. Lesson One
Assume a Diversity of Technologies(Including
Paper)
Lesson Two
Include Technology Briefing in Incident Orientations
Lesson Three
Prepare for and Train Information Responders
Lesson Four
Focus on Critical Actionable Information

38. Time from
# Quote Speaker
start (hr:min)
Incident
1 1:40 “There’s no information coming in!”
Commander
“It’s great that you guys [Team Tech] know
Incident
2 1:55 everything, we [Team Response] just need
Commander
what’s critical.”
“You need someone here [Team Tech table], Information
3 2:35
watching the update.” Officer
“You want to show her the summary … Team Tech
4 3:25
the summary by neighborhood?” Member

39. Lesson One
Assume a Diversity of Technologies (Including
Paper)
Lesson Two
Include Technology Briefing in Incident Orientations
Lesson Three
Prepare for and Train Information Responders
Lesson Four
Focus on Critical Actionable Information

40. Time from
# Quote Speaker
start (hr:min)
Incident
1 1:40 “There’s no information coming in!”
Commander
“It’s great that you guys [Team Tech]
Incident
2 1:55 know everything, we [Team Response] just
Commander
need what’s critical.”
“You need someone here [Team Tech table], Information
3 2:35
watching the update.” Officer
“You want to show her the summary … Team Tech
4 3:25
the summary by neighborhood?” Member

41. Lesson One
Assume a Diversity of Technologies (Including
Paper)
Lesson Two
Include Technology Briefing in Incident Orientations
Lesson Three
Prepare for and Train Information Responders
Lesson Four
Focus on Critical Actionable Information

42. The Second Wish
May there be lessons for the future

43. 1
Granted!

44. 1
Granted!
2

45. The Third Wish
May the time, effort and money invested in the
exercise produce as much benefit as possible

46. 1
The First Wish was granted...

47. Personnel Trained
Coordination Practiced
Volunteers Engaged
Data Flowed

48. Time from
# Quote Speaker
start (hr:min)
Incident
1 1:40 “There’s no information coming in!”
Commander
“It’s great that you guys [Team Tech]
Incident
2 1:55 know everything, we [Team Response] just
Commander
need what’s critical.”
“You need someone here [Team Tech table], Information
3 2:35
watching the update.” Officer
“You want to show her the summary … Team Tech
4 3:25
the summary by neighborhood?” Member
but synergy was slow to develop

49. 2
The Second Wish was granted...

50. Lesson One
Assume a Diversity of Technologies (Including
Paper)
Lesson Two
Include Technology Briefing in Incident Orientations
Lesson Three
Prepare for and Train Information Responders
Lesson Four
Focus on Critical Actionable Information

51. Lesson One
Assume a Diversity of Technologies (Including
Paper)
Lesson Two
Include Technology Briefing in Incident Orientations
Lesson Three
Prepare for and Train Information Responders
Lesson Four
Focus on Critical Actionable Information
but these lessons aren’t new

52. The Third Wish
May the time, effort and money invested in the
exercise produce as much benefit as possible

53. Not Granted!

54. Not Granted!
3

55. What Tan We Learn?

56. Align Expectations

57. Align Expectations
Do Your Homework

58. Align Expectations
Do Your Homework
Consider the Social Affects

59. You Get What You
Plan For!

60. The End