Exercise Overview

This exercise will serve as an opportunity for public health agencies to assess their ability to remain operational in the aftermath of a commercial fire severely damaging their principal facility. The primary purpose of this exercise is to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of an agency's Continuity of Operations Plan.

Caduceus Shield Exercise Initiative

The Infirmary Incineration - A COOP Functional Exercise is part of the national Caduceus Shield Exercise Initiative.

This exercise will be facilitated via an internet based application entitled ON-Line eXercise (ONX) System which will allow management and staff to participate in the exercise from their normal base of operation.

Information on the ONX System can be found at ONXSystem.com.

A discussion and information forum for all who are interested in, support or participate in the Caduceus Shield Exercise Initiative.

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Testimonials

Public health agencies have been participating in ONX System exercises since March 2010. View what public health agencies are saying about using the ONX System.

Project Public Health Ready

All Caduceus Shield exercises are designed to meet the Project Public Health Ready goals and objectives.

Homeland Security Exercise & Evaluation Program

Caduceus Shield utilizes the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) system for exercise design, facilitation and evaluation.

HSEEP compliant Exercise Evaluation Guides (EEG) are utilized to assess the various planning / preparedness, response and recovery capabilities and capacity of public health agencies participating in all Caduceus Shield exercises.

After Action Report / Improvement Plan - Inject Response Report

An HSEEP compliant After Action Report / Improvement Plan (AAR / IP) is generated at the conclusion of all Caduceus Shield exercises. This report is based on an exercise specific Exercise Evaluation Guide and the observations and recommendations of an on-site evaluator. Each public health agency will need to provide an internal evaluator for the exercise.

In addition all responses to injects and descriptions of actions taken by exercise participants during a Caduceus Shield exercise are captured within the ONX System and exported to generate an Inject Response Report at the conclusion of the exercise.

Exercise Scenario

At 10:37PM on Sunday a motorist driving past the county health department notices smoke coming from a vent on the top of the building. Using his cell phone the motorist calls 9-1-1 to report a fire.

Within several minutes of notification the fire department has arrived. Upon sizing up the scene and establishing an Incident Command firefighters begin to battle the conflagration that is consuming the building.

Because the fire is proving more difficult to extinguish than originally thought, the Incident Commander requests additional resources. A second alarm is sounded and the supplementary firefighters and equipment arrive. It takes another 21 minutes before the fire is extinguished.

At 7:49AM on Monday the first arriving staff members are shocked to see that their workplace has been severely damaged. They stand in the parking lot waiting for someone to give them directions as to what they should do.

Exercise Participation Information