Exercise Overview

Jackson County Emergency Management Department undertook an initiative to assess the ability of the county's agencies, departments and offices to provide essential services in the aftermath of a moderately strong hurricane striking the county. In addition, the various departments of; the county's eleven municipalities joined with their county counterparts to evaluate their Continuity of Operations Plans (COOP).

The rational for this important exercise was that each and every agency, department and office of both the county, cities and towns should be "Primed and Ready" to continue essential operations after any emergency or disaster.

The Hurricane Jackson Tabletop Exercise was facilitated via an internet based application entitled ON-Line eXercise (ONX) System which allowed each organization to participate in the exercise from their office.

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

Exercise Scenario

It is late August and local citizens have been following the approach of Hurricane Jackson as it moves through the eastern portion of the Gulf of Mexico. Projections from the National Hurricane Center indicate that the storm will make a left turn and head towards Texas.

The turn to the west never comes and in the early morning hours the storm slams into the coastline south of Jackson County with strong category two winds and a storm surge on top of a high tide.

As the storm moves out of the area and emergency response teams begin to assist area residents, the various governmental agencies, departments and offices that comprise the county, cities and towns assess their own damages and begin to bring their operations back on-line.

Exercise Materials

Exercise Media Coverage

Exercise Conclusion

The Hurricane Jackson Tabletop Exercise was held on the morning of August 18  2010 in Jackson County Florida.

Exercise Photos