How to Facilitate and Evaluate a Tabletop Exercise

Before Facilitating and Evaluating an Exercise… Tabletops evaluate a group’s capability to execute portions of emergency response, operations, and contingency plans Before evaluating an exercise, facilitor/evaluators (FEs) should be familiar with: Typical hospital Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs), procedures and protocols ICS, NIMS, HICS

Emphasize Exercise Goals The main goal of the Regional Tabletop Exercise is to test Regional Hospital Emergency Response Capabilities and may include the following Objectives: Objective 1: Evacuation Objective 2: Fatality Management Objective 3: Special Needs Victims Objective 4: Patient Transport Objective 5: Surge Capacity

Tips for Facilitating an Exercise Communications Controlling Time and Pace Dealing With Discussion Breakdown

TIPS - Communications Facilitate table discussion in both sessions drawing upon your knowledge of emergency operations planning and your area of expertise.

TIPS - Communications Let communications and discussion evolve naturally Let participants and subject matter experts (SMEs) guide the direction of the discussion Allow participants to falter – evaluator addresses gaps on TTX Evaluation Form

TIPS – Controlling Time and Pace Keep track of time and keep on schedule – follow the Exercise Agenda and SitMan Maintain pace by facilitating the discussion

If the discussion is progressing slowly or is stalled: Jump-start the discussion by asking a question in the context of the scenario e.g. “If your hospital sustains structural damage, how will you evacuate?” TIPS – Controlling Time and Pace

If the discussion is progressing too quickly: Restate discussion questions in more detail Encourage discussion from all participants at table TIPS – Controlling Time and Pace

Not all participants are equally prepared and not all participants are comfortable jumping into the discussion In the event of discussion breakdown… Interject discussion as a facilitator to set the exercise discussion back on track TIPS – Dealing with Discussion Breakdown

TIPS – Evaluation Track communications and discussion carefully in your notes Flag key communications and discussion for future reference

TIPS – TTX Evaluation Form Based on discussions note any observations of key elements/areas that were discussed and make written recommendations for improvement. Please be as specific as possible providing clear action steps for each key element/area you have listed.

TIPS – TTX Evaluation Form Use the Evaluation Form tables as a guideline to write your exercise evaluation. You do not have to type your analysis in the box spaces associated with the capability. You should type your summaries below the table and use this as a guideline to write your evaluation adding as many pages as you need.

TIPS – TTX Evaluation Form Take notes and make recommendations at both AM and PM sessions, complete the Evaluation Form and to UGA. Submit this evaluation form in electronic format no later than 3 days after the tabletop exercise to

TIPS – TTX Evaluation Form Handout and encourage all participants to complete a Participant Feedback Form (PFF). Take up all completed PFFs at end of TTX and give to UGA IHMD Registrar along with table participant lists. Please make sure you have added names of all participants (AM and PM) who participated at each table but were not printed on lists.

Review the Sitman before the exercise Refer to the SitMan and TTX PPT slides to guide the exercise discussion Track discussion carefully Allow the discussion to evolve naturally Interfere as little as possible Return your completed evaluation form in electronic format no later than 3 days after the tabletop exercise to Final Thoughts…