"Determined Accord" Increases Pandemic Influenza Preparedness
The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Office of National Security Coordination (ONSC) has successfully launched "Determined Accord," a table top exercise that increases federal executive branch, state, tribal and local continuity of operations (COOP) readiness for a pandemic event.
The interactive sessions are being conducted throughout August and September in the National Capital Region, and include participants from a wide cross-section of federal departments and agencies and state organizations. Along with the completion of the initial six sessions, there will be follow-on distribution of materials to all federal, state, tribal and local planning authorities. The exercise includes a separate train-the-trainer module so participants may take the exercise back to their organization and train additional audiences.
Exercise "Determined Accord" is designed to help identify gaps or weaknesses in pandemic planning in organization COOP plans, policies and procedures and is based on pandemic COOP guidance developed by FEMA and an interagency pandemic steering committee that includes representatives from across the executive branch. While all COOP elements are explored, the exercise encourages participates to give special consideration to ensuring the health and safety of employees and providing essential government functions and services with high absence rates.
"The Determined Accord COOP exercise provides departments, agencies and their components, a comprehensive tool kit for use in preparing all levels of the organization with the knowledge necessary to mitigate effects of a pandemic," said FEMA's Director of ONSC Charles Hopkins. "The training materials provided will help emergency coordinators facilitate discussion sessions for senior leadership in passing along vital information."
During the exercise, participant feedback and interaction has been positive and has generated new ideas and best practices for increasing pandemic preparedness. The feedback will assist in forming a report to the Executive Office of the President on pandemic influenza preparedness, which ONSC is required to provide by the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza Implementation Plan.
For additional information on "Determined Accord" please contact Herman Perry, Program Specialist, (202) 646-3716 or at herman.perry@dhs.gov.
Last Modified: Friday, 22-Sep-2006 10:56:09 EDT