Testing and Exercises

Disaster recovery planning is a journey, one that is constantly evolving as needs and capabilities change. The most successful emergency management plans are those that have been tested rigorously before an event occurs. Conducting regular exercises is one of the most reliable ways to validate a plan’s effectiveness and identify weaknesses that need to be corrected.

At BDR, we assist clients in developing and performing a variety of exercises that test their planning strategies and the readiness of their personnel. Exercises are designed following Homeland Security Exercise Evaluation Program (HSEEP) and FEMA guidelines.

Our approach to Testing includes:

• Tabletop exercises. Facilitator-led group discussions that use a written scenario narrative and a set of problem statements to test and evaluate a plan.
  
  
• Functional exercises. Limited tests and evaluations of a plan that require actual and simulated policy implementation in response to a simulated emergency.
  
  
• Full-scale exercises. Comprehensive tests and evaluations of a plan with written objectives. These emphasize the practice of multiple emergency functions and require actual deployment of policy, coordination, and operations personnel, equipment, and resources in response to a simulated emergency, often in real-time. 

For each type of exercise, BDR develops an Exercise Plan, a player’s handbook and an evaluator’s guide. We work with the project sponsors to define realistic scenarios that could affect the jurisdiction, and follow the Homeland Security Presidential Directive-8 (HSPD-8) which outlines scenarios that fit the national preparedness goals. The lessons learned from exercises often result in vast improvements to the current disaster recovery plan, and the resulting deliverables serve as models for future exercise design.

Questions about our Testing and Exercises development services? Contact BDR today at 1.866.540.2325 to learn more about how we can assist you.