Document Non-aligning Sector Responses One purpose of exercises, regardless of the format, is to compare responses to a given situation to responses to the same situation prescribed in formal, written plans. Therefore, exercise controllers should document any responses during the course of exercises that do not align with the community's written pandemic influenza plan. This documentation will help exercise evaluators with their evaluation of the exercise. Conduct a Post-exercise Hot Wash A hot wash is the "after-action" discussions and evaluations of an agency's (or multiple agencies') performance following an exercise, training session, or major event. It is a term picked up in recent years by the emergency preparedness community (likely as a result of Homeland Security and other agencies' involvement in disaster planning). A hot wash serves as a form of briefing for all involved to analyze what worked well, what needs improvement, what person or agency is responsible for said improvements, and the assignments and timelines for the noted corrective and proactive improvements to be put in place. Exercise controllers should conduct an exercise hot wash with exercise players. A face-to-face meeting is preferred because it is a more effective way to capture post-exercise information. This meeting serves as a transition to the evaluation phase as described in the text box on the next page. Listed below are suggested agenda items for the post-exercise hot wash: List three strengths of the overall community response to the scenario presented during the exercise. List three areas for improvement in the overall community response to the scenario presented during the exercise. List three strengths of the e-mail format for the exercise. List three areas for improvement in the e-mail format of the exercise. Provide other remarks or comments about the exercise.
Document Non-aligning Sector Responses One purpose of exercises, regardless of the format, is to compare responses to a given situation to responses to the same situation prescribed in formal, written plans. Therefore, exercise controllers should document any responses during the course of exercises that do not align with the community's written pandemic influenza plan. This documentation will help exercise evaluators with their evaluation of the exercise. Conduct a Post-exercise Hot Wash A hot wash is the "after-action" discussions and evaluations of an agency's (or multiple agencies') performance following an exercise, training session, or major event. It is a term picked up in recent years by the emergency preparedness community (likely as a result of Homeland Security and other agencies' involvement in disaster planning). A hot wash serves as a form of briefing for all involved to analyze what worked well, what needs improvement, what person or agency is responsible for said improvements, and the assignments and timelines for the noted corrective and proactive improvements to be put in place. Exercise controllers should conduct an exercise hot wash with exercise players. A face-to-face meeting is preferred because it is a more effective way to capture post-exercise information. This meeting serves as a transition to the evaluation phase as described in the text box on the next page. Listed below are suggested agenda items for the post-exercise hot wash: List three strengths of the overall community response to the scenario presented during the exercise. List three areas for improvement in the overall community response to the scenario presented during the exercise. List three strengths of the e-mail format for the exercise. List three areas for improvement in the e-mail format of the exercise. Provide other remarks or comments about the exercise.
PIEET_Cleared_9_5.docx