1. Tabletop Exercise Meningitis Outbreak
Division for Law Enforcement, Homeland Security, and Institutional Research

2. Rules of the Road Creativity/Group Problem Solving
Use the knowledge and information available in the room
Active Thinking
Active Listening
Active Participation
Respect – challenge ideas, not people
Reality Check – make the exercise real for you

3. Agenda Introductions Scenario Description Hot Wash (Debrief)
Action Planning

4. Introductions

5. The Exercise Continuum
Drills
Tabletop Exercises
Functional Exercises
Full-Scale Exercises

6. What is a tabletop exercise?
Simulates an emergency situation in an informal, stress-free environment
Initiates discussion of emergency guidelines
Focuses on training and familiarization with roles, guidelines, and responsibilities

7. How does a tabletop exercise work?
Scenario-based discussion, guided by a facilitator
Problems talked through without stress
Evaluators selected to observe and offer feedback on the proceedings
Policies, plans, and guidelines are updated

8. What determines the success of a tabletop?
A successful tabletop leaves participants with:
A positive learning experience
Organizational learning
Improvement action planning
More effective policies, plans, and guidelines
Improved preparedness

9. Exercise Guidelines (Continued)
_____ISD/college policy shall govern all activities relating to the emergency event.
The facilitator shall serve as the exercise referee and will provide any official interpretation of the exercise rules.
Although we will not actually be contacting them, ISD/college and outside resources are available to assist you.

10. Exercise Guidelines
This exercise is designed to test the preparedness of the _____ to respond to a multi-agency, multi-site emergency event.
Following the exercise, there will be a debriefing time or “Hot Wash”.
Each participant will be given the opportunity to share his/her views on what worked well and what needs to be addressed in additional planning, training and/or drilling.

11. Exercise Guidelines (Continued)
From time to time, there will be injections to the scenario. These are intended to further assess response to the exercise scenario.
This is a learning experience.

12. Purpose
To examine current policies, procedures, resources and actions in the context to a response to a meningitis outbreak in a school/college setting
To promote greater understanding and ability to apply NIMS/ICS principles in a college setting
To make improvements as identified as an outcome of the exercise

13. Objectives To evaluate policies and procedures
To evaluate command and control including communications procedures
To identify resources needed vs. available
To identify training needs
To indentify needed improvements and create an action plan to address those needs

14. Background _____ school/college has a student population of _____
The college has a large commuter population and a residential population of _____
The college is located in a rural/urban setting
Campus police/security operations include _____
Campus health operations include _____

15. Scenario
A student has reported to a staff member that they are feeling sick. The student tells her that the symptoms exhibited include:
Fever
Nausea
Headache
Stiff Neck

16. Questions What does the staff member need to know?
How do they find the information?
What action do they take?
What does your EOP direct?
What are you going to do?

17. Scenario – Inject #1 (20 minutes later)
The student has developed a pinpoint rash
The nurse suspects either bacterial or viral meningitis
The student immediately sought health care at their physician
Lab work is conducted to determine if this is a case of meningitis or common flu

18. Questions What do you need to know? How do you find the information?
What does your EOP direct?
What are you going to do?
Who has local public health authority?
What policies address school relationship with Public Health?

19. Scenario – Inject #2
The public health authority reports back that the student has been positively diagnosed with Meningococcal meningitis
The student has been isolated at the local hospital and is receiving antibiotics
The student lived on campus
Note: If your campus has no on-campus housing conduct the tabletop exercise accordingly

20. Questions What do you need to know? How do you find the information?
What does your EOP direct?
What are you going to do?

21. Scenario – Inject #3
A second student is exhibiting symptoms of meningitis
It is found that this student was on a field trip with the first student a couple of days prior
The students, faculty, staff, parents, and community are concerned and want information
The local press is seeking information via , telephone, and personal visits to campus

22. Questions What actions will you take?
Do you activate your college incident command?
What is your ICS structure?

23. ICS Structure Questions
Who is the Incident Commander?
Who is the Public Information Officer?
Who is the Liaison Officer?
Who is the Operations Chief?
How will you incorporate medical services?
What other ICS positions will you activate and who will fill them?

24. Final Update
The first student with meningitis is showing signs of improvement
The second student is hospitalized and is receiving treatment
There have not been any additional suspected meningitis cases reported

25. Questions What do you need to know? How do you find the information?
What does your EOP direct?
What is your ICS team going to do?

26. Hot Wash
How well did your EOP operate and what actions will you take toward improvement?
How well did your ICS Team operate and what actions will you take toward improvement?
How well did your Communications Plan operate and what actions will you take toward improvement?

27. Hot Wash
What internal divisions were required to work together in this scenario?
What external agencies did the Liaison Officer need to work with in this scenario?
Are all necessary agreements in place to facilitate cooperation among agencies?

28. Hot Wash
What can be done to improve campus health and wellness operations?
What role did community education play?
What can be done to improve the knowledge and capabilities of students, faculty, and staff as it relates to this scenario?

29. Action Plan
The lessons learned during this table top exercise will lead to a college action plan to:
Keep Doing _____
Stop Doing _____
Start Doing _____

30. Conclusion
The Texas School Safety Center, Higher Education Division is available for:
Training/Facilitation
Technical Assistance
Information

31. Contact Us
Web:
Phone: