How to Develop an Exercise Program for the Emergency Plan?

Emergency Plan

Preparing for Crisis: ISO22301 - Business Continuity Management Standard

Emergency Response Exercise Steps

1. Develop the plan
2. Teach the plan didactically with stated Goals and Objectives (G and O)
3. Design the exercise based on the G and O's
   
   1. Decide to first test upon functional exercise (e.g. test communications, or test logistics), or,
   2. Decide to perform a full-scale exercise (all organizational functions, possibly collaborating agencies).
   3. Table top exercise is the first exercise emphasizing the G and O's using an evaluator/controller. Go slow and guide the responses to each stimulus.
   4. The exercise should be guided by an experienced crisis manager who can instruct.
   5. The second exercise should be at regular speed with only the staff performing the crisis management and then evaluate the exercise.
   6. Then do a third exercise at regular speed to see if learning occurred from the lessons learned.
   7. Now proceed to a field exercise where the same procedures for the table-top are applied.
4. Change policy or procedures if the exercises indicate a need to do so.