6/24/2015

 I am…  The purpose of this exercise is to provide you with an opportunity to practice and evaluate, response concepts, plans, and procedures for a strategic-level response to an event affecting operations at your company.  Who is participating? Your roles?

 The purpose of this exercise is to provide you with an opportunity to practice and evaluate, response concepts, plans, and procedures for a strategic-level response to an event affecting operations at your company.

 Exercises are low-stress learning environments in which individuals practice and prepare for high stress and high stake emergency events.  This is an open, low-stress, no-fault environment. Varying viewpoints, even disagreements, are expected.  suggestions and recommended actions that could improve response and preparedness efforts are valuable and Problem-solving efforts should be the main focus.

 Each module begins with an update that summarizes the key events occurring in that time period.  After the updates, participants must review the situation and engage in facilitated discussions of appropriate response steps.

At approximately 3:00PM on Thursday, June 25th 2015, A storm cell begins to cover most of the North Central Texas Region. The center of the storm is located over the City of Grapevine and is headed this way. Tornado watches and warnings are issued across North Central Texas. Dallas is issued a tornado watch.

 NWS has upgraded the tornado watch to a tornado warning for downtown Dallas and has advised people to seek shelter in a safe room, closet, etc.

 What are your immediate actions?  Who’s in charge?  How are notifications/announcements made?  How do you monitor weather updates?  Do you have a sheltering plan for tornado warnings?

 After 20 minutes, you receive information that it is safe to exit designated tornado safe areas.  As you re-enter the main part of the building, you see that the power is out, and you hear the fire alarm.  All office phones are down. Some windows are broken or blown out.  Some of the employees notice their vehicles are damaged and are not able to leave immediately.  Dallas has taken a direct hit from a tornado.

 What are your top priorities for the first few hours?  Are employees allowed to remain in the building? All/ some/ or none? Who decides?  If employees are not allowed to stay, what instructions do they receive? How?

 A damage assessment reveals the following:  30% of windows are blown out.  It is unclear whether the building has sustained structural damage.  Some employees ignored the warning, stayed at their desks, and were injured by flying debris.  First responders are overwhelmed at the moment and are not able to respond right away.  Evacuating the building is deemed necessary.

 How do you communicate the need to evacuate?  Where do people evacuate to?  Can anyone help the injured?  Who is making decisions? How are they communicated?

 Along with several other downtown buildings, yours is deemed uninhabitable.  Do tenants have alternate sites to work from?  Will you help them directly? How?  Where will you conduct business?  What can you do to minimize loss of business while the building is repaired (1 month, 3 months, 6 months+)?

 What went well?  What could have been better?  Does your plan need to be revised/ revisited?  What issues had you never considered?  What are you taking away?