Day 1: Activating Response and Managing Escalation

Emergency Team Roles

• Assigning roles during incident
• Clear responsibilities across response teams
• Communication lines without role conflict
• Backups for critical response roles

Developing the Response Plan

• Operational responsibilities throughout emergencies
• Escalation and communication controls
• Resource requirements during plan activation
• Target outcomes across response phases

Managing Escalation and Decision Points

• Escalation levels within response system
• Decision authority by incident severity
• Indicators requiring higher escalation
• Delegation boundaries across leadership levels

Day 2: Leading Response at the Incident Site

Initial Response Priorities

• Operating priorities at response activation
• Sequencing actions during initial hours
• Protecting people before physical assets
• Initial control of incident

Incident Command Structure and Functions

• Command functions linked operationally together
• Supervisory relationships inside command structure
• Allocation of core response functions
• Regular rhythm for situation updates

Incident Site Management

• Standardized controls for incident site
• Operating zones based on hazard
• Updating site status from field
• Dividing site into zones

Day 3: Operating the EOC and Coordinating Resources

EOC Operations and Common Operating Picture

• Core operating functions within EOC
• Situation picture from unified sources
• Role allocation across the operations center
• Timing for operational picture updates

Coordinating a Joint Response

• Coordination protocol across responding agencies
• Shared responsibilities during joint incidents
• Official communication paths during coordination
• Priority alignment across participating organizations

Managing Response Resources

• Updated list of critical resources
• Known location of each resource
• Clear ownership for allocation decisions
• Redistribution when response priorities change

Day 4: Protecting People and Guiding Communication

Safety Priorities During Incidents

• Secondary hazards during emergency response
• Safe operating limits for responders
• Stopping activity under unsafe conditions
• People safety as first priority

Managing Crisis Communication

• Incident messaging protocol during response
• Approved channel for public updates
• Clear and specific audience messages
• Communication timing aligned with situation

Managing Stakeholder Expectations

• Expectations changing as crisis evolves
• Different priorities across affected groups
• Communication matched to concern levels
• Commitments fulfilled as promised

Day 5: Reviewing Response and Raising Readiness

Designing Readiness Exercises

• Complexity level suited to participants
• Event sequence supporting participant learning
• Realistic roles for participating teams
• Success criterion for every objective

Analyzing Response Outcomes

• Reasons behind uneven performance levels
• Good practice for broader adoption
• Lesson converted into plan change
• Documented observations collected from participants

Emergency Team Readiness

• System readiness for integrated response
• Exercise results measuring response system
• Plan activation capability under pressure
• Availability of alternatives during disruption

 

• Emergency operations center exercise building a common operating picture
• Practical resource allocation and operational priority exercise
• Escalating scenario testing multi-team and multi-agency coordination
• Responder safety and site-control decision review