Training and Exercise Planning
The training and exercise staff strive to ensure that Florida's public health and medical system and supporting partners are properly trained, practice their response roles, perform response duties, and are prepared to respond to any and all hazards.
Training and exercise are key components to ensuring the health and medical workforce can protect Florida residents and visitors from man-made or natural disasters.
Training Catalog
The Office of Public Health Preparedness has developed Training Catalog:
Guidelines and Listings for County Health Departments 
(.pdf, 167.08kb/ 49 pages)
to assist Florida's County Health Departments in training their staffs to prepare for, respond to, and recover from
emergencies and disasters. The Catalog addresses bioterrorism and emergency preparedness core competencies, as defined by Columbia University and the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Incident Management System (NIMS) training requirements for all public health personnel,
and required training under FDOH Training Policy (DOHP 180-1-06).
Trainer Toolkit
The Trainer Toolkit helps trainers, instructional designers, planners and facilitators meet the needs of their target audience. The Toolkit provides information on how to plan, design, deliver, and evaluate training events. The Toolkit also contains helpful information on need assessments, training objectives, adult learning, instructional methods and training aids, presentation skills and evaluations.
Training and Exercise Support Team (TEST)
The Training and Exercise Support Team (TEST) is one of sixteen Strategic Planning Teams created to help implement the public health and medical related objectives outlined in the 2007-2010 Public Health and Medical Preparedness Strategic Plan. These objectives align with the Department of Homeland Security National Target Capabilities and the Florida Domestic Security Strategy.
Teams work across disciplines, agencies, programs and geographic lines to meet national and state goals in public health and medical preparedness.
Those involved in preparedness-funded programs and subject matter experts from health and medical disciplines make up the bulk of team membership.
TEST's charter (.pdf, 24.88kb/ 4 pages)
outlines the team's mission, members and stakeholders. For more information about TEST, contact
Jack Pittman at 850.245-4128 or 850.245.444, ext. 3725.
Curriculum and Exercise Review
A curriculum and exercise review process has been established to evaluate and track the appropriateness and effectiveness of the preparedness training and exercises supported by CDC or ASPR grant funds and offered throughout Florida for those in public health and medical preparedness and response.
The review process has two Tiers:
- The Tier 1 review is conducted by the Training and Exercise Support Team (TEST). An effort is made to ensure statewide, programmatic coverage and diversity. Reviews are done on a regular basis, typically once a month.
- The Tier 2 review is conducted by the Regional Domestic Security Task Force (RDSTF) Health & Medical Co-chairs. Reviews are usually done on a regular basis, following a Tier I review.
For more information
(.pdf, 47.56kb/ 3 pages)
about this process and the required forms for curriculum
(.pdf, 52.15kb/ 7 pages) (word
version)
(.doc, 86kb/ 7 pages)
and exercise
(.pdf, 66.19kb/ 5 pages) (word
version)
(.doc, 130kb/ 5 pages)
review, please contact Linda Pitts at 850.245.4128 or 850.245.444,
ext. 2044.
Exercise Program
Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP)
HSEEP Compliance
HSEEP is a national program developed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency. Exercises funded through Federal agencies require HSEEP compliance.
What does "HSEEP Compliance" mean?
The Department of Homeland Security defines HSEEP compliance as:
- Conducting an annual Training and Exercise Plan Workshop and developing and maintaining a Multi-year Training and Exercise Plan.
- Planning and conducting exercises in accordance with the guidelines set forth in HSEEP Volumes I-III.
- Developing and submitting a properly formatted After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP).
- Tracking and implementing corrective actions identified in the AAR/IP.
Where do I start?
The Office of Public Health Preparedness has developed a HSEEP Mechanics Manual
- a handbook for becoming HSEEP compliant. It simplifies the
information found in HSEEP Volumes I-III. The manual provides a Multi-Year Training and Exercise plan example. It also provides practical
information in designing and conducting exercises and following up with after action reports and improvement plans.
The HSEEP Mechanics Manual (.doc, 1.43mb/ 32 pages) is an excellent means to learn the exercise
fundamentals and it serves as a handy reference as
well.
Where can I get HSEEP training?
PHP sponsors a four-hour HSEEP Mechanics Training workshop based on the use of this manual. The workshop offers these learning objectives:
- Understanding the role of exercises in the Preparedness System
- Becoming familiar with use of tools in HSEEP Toolkit
- Understanding steps needed in assembling an exercise
- Understanding the need for improvement planning and maintenance
The target audience for this PHP-sponsored training is planners, trainers, and exercise coordinators at county health departments, EMS, hospitals, health and medical centers, long-term care facilities, and all other ESF 8 public health and medical partners.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management (DEM) sponsors a 2-3 day HSEEP course which is available at the regional level and usually instructed by Regional Planning Councils.
We recommend completing IS 120A an on-line introductory course before beginning either the HSEEP Mechanics Training workshop
or the 2-3 day course.
Where can I find HSEEP exercise examples and other resources?
PHP maintains an online LIBRARY of documents and materials that may be useful in designing and conducting HSEEP-compliant exercises.
For more information about HSEEP training, contact Jack Pittman or Kelly Nelson at 850.245.4128 or HSEEPInfo@doh.state.fl.us.
Other Resources
Division of Emergency Management (DEM)
DEM is the lead agency for Floridas preparedness training and exercise efforts. Their website is full of useful information for exercise
planners and trainers:
http://www.floridadisaster.org/Preparedness/TrainingandExercise/index.htm
Florida Division of Law Enforcement (FDLE)
DOH also works closely with FDLE in its preparedness and response efforts. FDLE was a major participant in Healths award winning
"Beleaguered Bus" exercises. To view a video of the exercise, click
http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/publications/#Annual and scroll down to
"presentations" where "Domestic Security Exercise: Beleaguered Bus II" is listed.
Photos
March 13, 2008 - Tallahassee Regional Airport Exercise
http://cdrp.net/airex2008/index.html
Other Training and Exercise Planning Resources
CDC Public Health Training Network
FEMA
Emergency Management Institute
Florida Division of Emergency Management Disaster Training
SUNY Albany School of Public Health e-Learning Center