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Critical Infrastructure Protection and Resilience Tabletop Exercise

Strengthening our Nation’s infrastructure

Month 00, 2010

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Operational Security• This briefing contains exercise, operational, and

potentially business sensitive material which, while not classified, should be safeguarded as you deem appropriate.

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Agenda9:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. Welcome, Introduction and Guidelines

9:15 a.m. – 9:25 a.m. Overall Exercise Objectives

9:25 a.m. – 10:25 a.m. Discussion Topic 1

10:25 a.m. – 10:35 a.m. Break

10:35 a.m. – 11:35 a.m. Discussion Topic 2

11:35 a.m. – 11:55 a.m. Hot Wash

11:55 a.m. – Noon Closing Comments

(Example)

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• The purpose of this tabletop exercise is to discuss and evaluate certain protection and resilience measures with internal and external partners in the community.

• This exercise will allow participants: 1) to learn more about how ____ is protecting its critical infrastructure and making it more resilient to all hazards; and 2) to identify potential areas of improvement in plans, policies, and procedures.

Purpose(Example)

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Scope• This tabletop exercise is designed to help our

organization protect itself against and become more resilient to any type of incident that might occur in our community.

(Example)

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Objectives• Discuss and explain information-sharing procedures.

• Delineate roles and responsibilities.

• Discuss how and at what threshold security is elevated and continuity plans are activated.

• Test internal communications procedures.

• Identify gaps, redundancies, and best practices.

• INSERT ADDITIONAL OBJECTIVES SPECIFIC TO THE SPONSORING ORGANIZATION HERE.

(Example)

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Exercise Participants• Participants respond to the scenario as presented.• Observers watch the exercise.• Evaluators assess and document participant

performance during the exercise based on their functional expertise

• Facilitators lead, focus, and moderate group discussions.

• Note takers observe and record the discussion during the exercise and support analysis and evaluation afterward.

(Example)

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Exercise Structure• Moderated, scenario-driven discussion that allows

participants to interact in accordance with their respective responsibilities and expertise.

• Exercise begins with a brief scenario of an event that has occurred in our community.

• A series of discussion questions after the scenario outline will structure today’s discussion of critical issues.– Don’t feel limited to the discussion questions used

here.– Not required to discuss every question.

(Example)

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Exercise Guidelines• This is an open, low-stress, no-fault environment.

Varying viewpoints, even disagreements, are expected.• Respond based on your knowledge of current plans and

capabilities and insights derived from training.• This is an opportunity to discuss and present multiple

options and possible solutions.• Focus on solving problems rather than identifying issues.

(Example)

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Assumptions and Artificialities• Need to accept certain assumptions and artificialities in

the exercise design in order to complete discussion within allotted time and cover desired issues.– The scenario is plausible for our community and

events occur as they are presented.– Assume cooperation and support from emergency

response agencies.– There are no trick questions.– Everyone receives information at the same time.

(Example)

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Overview of Scenario(Example)

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Discussion Questions(Example)

Hot Wash• Discuss organizational and community strengths, areas

of improvement, and potential action items based on today’s exercise.

(Example)