Hazard Management Cayman Islands

2013 Annual Hurricane Exercise

Hurricane Taylor

Outline for Hurricane Taylor Simulation Exercise.

The exercise will be conducted over two days, May 30 – 31, 2013.

The objectives of the exercise are:

1.         Review the National Hurricane Plan

2.         Allow the subcommittees to exercise different aspects of their respective Emergency Support Team Plans.

3.         Refresh members of the subcommittees in the use of WebEOC,

4.         Test communication links (radios) with each subcommittee and other radio users on the NHC channels.

5.         Sensitize sub committees on Relief Management plan and Recovery Plan.

6.         Refresh members of the NEOC on NEOC operations.

Exercise Scope

The exercise will incorporate the hierarchy of the government (Governor’s office, MLA’s), emergency response entities, sixteen sub committees forming the clusters of the NEOC, NGO’s and any functional Community Emergency Response Teams.

It includes the observation of these emergency operations; the inter coordination of response agencies; and interface between satellite EOC’s (NEOC, Agencies EOC).

Personnel are expected to respond to the incident in a realistic way using their respective agencies available resources.

Exercise Concept

The Simulation Exercise will be conducted over two days May 30 and 31 and will follow the following format.

•          Meeting of the National Hazard Management Council for the 2013 Hurricane Season Ground Floor of the GOAB. The agenda for this meeting will be as follows:

o          Remarks by the Deputy Governor, Chair NHMC;

o          Forecast for the season will be given by the National Weather service;

o          Synopsis of government preparedness for the season, through the Continuity of Operations Sub Committee and Hazard Management;

o          Presentation of scenario for Hurricane Taylor Simulation Exercise 2013 and

o          Communication test.

•          Full activation of the NEOC (Airport Fire Station)

o          Vignettes to support the main scenario will be given to elicit response from the sub committees, other groups in the NEOC and key personnel in the response process.

o          Debrief of the exercise conducted over the two days.

Expectations

May 30 – 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. Government Administration Building

a.         All members of the National Hazard Management Council should be in attendance for the NHMC meeting.

NATIONAL HAZARD MANAGEMENT COUNCIL

Deputy Governor (Chair)

Chief Officer Internal and External Affairs (Deputy Chair)

Deputy Financial Secretary

Deputy Attorney General (or equivalent)

Chief Officer District Administration, Planning, Agriculture & Housing

Chief Officer Health & Human Services

Chief Officer Education, Training, Employment, Youth, Sports & Culture

Chief Officer Communications, Works & Infrastructure

Chief Officer Tourism, Environment, Investment & Commerce

Chief Officer Portfolio Civil Service

Director Hazard Management Cayman Islands (Secretary)

Deputy Commissioner of Police

Chief Fire Officer

Chief Meteorological Officer

Director Public Works

Director National Roads Authority

Director Lands and Survey

Director Vehicle & Equipment Services

Director Office of Telecommunications

Chair Sister Islands Hazard Management Committee

Director Government Information Service

Director Civil Aviation Authority

Director Dept. Environmental Health

Director Dept. of Environment

Director of Water Authority

Chief Immigration Officer

Chief Executive Officer, Airports Authority

Chief Executive Officer, Port Authority

Collector of Customs

Chief Executive Officer Chamber of Commerce

Director Red Cross

Director Adventist Disaster Relief Agency

Sub Committee Chairs

b.         Brief note on receipt of CIG ministries and departments Continuity of Operations Plans – Chair of Continuity of Operations Subcommittee – Chief Officer PoCS.

c.          Activation of National Hurricane Plan, subcommittee plans, ministries, departments and agencies Continuity of Operations Plan.

d.         Summary report of actions taken by subcommittees according to alert phase of impending hurricane.

e.         Participation in communication test. (All persons with a NHC radio should turn on their radio and monitor it for a communication test.  Each person is expected to reply using their assigned call sign.)

 

May 31 – 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. NEOC (Airport Fire Station)

a.         All Cluster Managers and subcommittee members should report to the NEOC for the tabletop simulation exercise.  The Policy group and Operations Cluster are also expected to assemble there.

b.         Log in to WebEOC.

c.          The NEOC is expected to conduct communication exchanges with ministries, portfolio, departments EOC’s during its period of activation via radio and WebEOC.

d.         Respond to vignettes given in support the main scenario.

 

May 31 – 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Government Administration Building

a.         All persons that participated in the exercise over the two days are expected to meet and conduct the debrief and After Action Report session for the exercise.

 

Timing of Exercise / Schedule of Activities

 

Date	Exercise Activity	Agency to Initiate	Simulated Time	Expected Response Activity
Thursday May 30th, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m.	Convene meeting of the NHMC	HMCI (DG)	May 29th 10 a.m.	Members of the NHMC report for meeting
	Start of exercise – Issuing of Hurricane Alert	DG, HMCI, NWS	May 29th 10 a.m.	Respond according to respective plans
Thursday May 30th, 4 p.m.	Conduct communication test	HMCI, NEOC	May 29th 12 p.m.	All persons with NHC radio to monitor and reply when radio test and communication is made.
Friday May 30th, 9 a.m.	Issuing of Hurricane Watch	HMCI / NWS	May 29th  4 p.m.	Respond according to respective plans
Friday May 31st, 10 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.	Issuing of Hurricane Warning.	HMCI / NWS	May 29th 10 p.m.	Respond according to respective plans. NEOC full activation for response.
	Issuing of Hurricane Impact	HMCI / NWS	May 30th 1 p.m.	Respond according to respective plans. NEOC Activation Continues Warning and Impact of Grand Cayman and Sister Islands.  (Your deputy or an designee is highly recommended to attend to allow for training and familiarization with NEOC operations)
Friday May 31st, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.	All Clear, Rehabilitation and Recovery	HMCI  / NWS	June 1st 1 p.m.	Respond according to respective plans. (Use of Recovery plan and Relief management Plan)
Friday May 31st, 3:30p.m. – 4:30p.m.	Debrief and After Action Report	HMCI