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Mike NicholsonDirector, Transformation Office Information and Technology Division

SIMNET

National Exercise Simulation Network

Concept and Status

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Concept

A live, virtual, and constructive capability providing

• Integrated network linkage achieved through existing command centers and operational communications systems

• Scalability and plugability from full scale nationwide exercises to local first-responder training

• Aggregation of entities

• Multi-speed replay capability permitting alternatives analysis

• Evaluation of communications capabilities and analytic aids

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State and Local EntitiesA..…Z

Regional Bodies

State and Local EntitiesA..…Z

Regional Bodies

Federal EntitiesDHS DoDDoJ DoEHHS StateDot DoTUSCGEtc…WHCongressCourts

Federal EntitiesDHS DoDDoJ DoEHHS StateDot DoTUSCGEtc…WHCongressCourts

InternationalState DeptCoalition Partners

EOCsCommand PostsAuthoritiesOperators

Ops CtrsCommand CtrsJFOs

Training, Exercise and Assessment Centers of Excellence

Dedicated Federal Training Facilities

Nat’l Labs UniversitiesThink Tanks

Operating entities

Private SectorCorporateNGO (Red Cross, Etc)Faith BasedMediaOperating

entities

Operating entities

Dedicated and Distributed

Capabilities and Services

Integrating the Homeland Protection Networks

“Assess to Build Capability, Exercise to Build Preparedness”“Assess to Build Capability, Exercise to Build Preparedness”

• Training, exercise, and assessment development and

delivery • Training, exercise, simulation platform deployment

• Data/information collection, integration and dissemination

• Data repository and processing services

• Network facilities, logistics and management

• Exercise management and operations support

• Operations maintenance engineering R&D

Critical

Dedicated and Distributed

Capabilities and Services

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The President shall establish a national exercise simulation center that –

(1) uses a mix of live, virtual, and constructive simulations to –

(A) Prepare elected officials, emergency managers, emergency response providers, and emergency support providers at all levels of government to operate cohesively;

(B) Provide a learning environment for the homeland security of all federal agencies;

(C)assist in the development of operational procedures and exercises, particularly those based on catastrophic incidents; and

Mandate

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(D) Allow incident commanders to exercise

decision making in a simulated environment ; and

(2) Uses modeling and simulation for training, exercises, and command and control functions at the operational level.

Conference Report on H.R. 5411, Department of Homeland Security Appropriations ACT, 2007

Mandate

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SIMNET leverage

Make the program better, faster, cheaper

• More realistic – participants use their actual workspaces, IT resources and networks

• Schedule acceleration – construction off critical path

• Cost savings to IOC– Bricks and mortar– Re-use of DOD, NPPD software and models

• Eases scheduling conflicts

• Saves travel costs

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For Official Use Only

State Local Tribal

Governments as well as Individual first responders

(PREPnet)

Other FederalDOI

HHS

(TOPOFF Exercise Series)

Other Response

Organizations American Red Cross, ANG,

and other NGOs

(Disaster Senior Leadership

Huddle)

Homeland Defense NORTHCOM JOC

JFCOM JOC

(CWID 2007)

Homeland Defense NORTHCOM JOC

JFCOM JOC

(CWID 2007)

SIMCEN is central to SIMNET

FEMA

NETC

Simulation Center (SIMCEN)

TELL

NOC

IIMG

PD EMP

USCG C2C

FPS

TSOC

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Technology

Simulation-based exercises contrast with table top

• Events not scripted – decision-based• Runs in real-time• Uses actual communication media• Geographical features – topography, interior floors, tunnels,

water, fire, plumes, etc.• Simulating on-scene personnel, eliminating need to take first

responders off the job while commanders participate in exercise• More realistic environment; more prone to reveal

inconsistencies/incompatibilities

• Playback facilitates individual/collaborative review of decisions

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JIEC enhances mission effectiveness

“Provide information, resources, and prototypes for technology solutions that address mission capability gaps identified by

practitioners in the emergency response community . ”

• Joint Interoperability and Evaluation Center features equipment and systems onsite at NETC demonstrating advanced capability to link and support first responders

• SIMNET incorporates hardware, software and engineering as necessary to provide specific capabilities for demo spirals

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Program Objective

for coherent, consistent training, exercise, planning andfor coherent, consistent training, exercise, planning and assessmentassessment..

Leverage and coordinate existing resources and programsLeverage and coordinate existing resources and programs

National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center

TELL HSIN PREPNet NOC

FLETC Noble Training Center Mobile Command Center

NIMS Integration Center

National Asset Database

Individual Training Team Workup Classroom Exercise

Pre-incident Refresher Interoperability-Demonstrations COP Development & Evaluation

NIMS Training Fusion Center Certification Operation Database Validation

Data Retention/Lessons Learned Evaluation of Operational Procedures Command Post Exercise

National Exercise TOPOFF Risk based Assessment/Vulnerability

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Getting started - Spiral 1

Demonstrate connectivity and situational awareness maximizing practical use of existing assets.

• Acquire HSIN accounts and training

– NORTHCOM– USARNORTH HQ– Region 3– Wisconsin EOC– Montgomery County

• 30 April connectivity test

• Establish HSIN SIMNET site

• Scenario development – local incident

• Full demonstration mid-summer 07

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Prospective spirals

Our “Lego blocks”

2 Pandemic

3 Analytic aids

4 “A day in the life” – Law enforcement, intelligence, WMD

5 NGO, Private Sector

6 DHS University

7 National Exercises

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Core Team

Strategic concept American Council for Technology

Homeland Security Institute

Core simulation (TELL) development Science and Technology

- validation Emergency Management Institute

- O&M Emergency Management Institute

Initial demo – Spiral 1 Science and Technology Homeland Security Institute Emergency Management Institute American Council for Technology

Joint Interoperability and Evaluation Center

US Fire Administration American Council for Technology

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Collaborators

Center for Domestic Preparedness Deputy U/S Defense (ASC)

Chief Learning Officer JCS J6

FLETC JFCOM

Grants and Training National Guard Bureau

Homeland Security Institute Naval Postgraduate School

Intergovernmental Programs NORTHCOM

ICE (FPS) USARNORTH

NIMS Integration Center

Operations Directorate American Red Cross

Private Sector Office

US Coast Guard Lawrence Livermore Labs

US Secret Service

Industry Advisory Council

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Milestones and Progress

Feb 05 Initial discussions - USSS, FPS

Jul 05 Concept paper to S&T

Feb 06 Working Group established

Feb-Apr 06 HSI Concept Study

Jul 06-Ongoing TELL development

Apr 07 IAC Center of Excellence

Summer 07 Spiral 1 - Interoperability demo

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What’s Next

Ongoing – Continued interoperability trials, JIEC

Late Fall – Simulation system suitability trials at NETC

Spring 2008 – Initial Operational Capability