Herron, Vernon

Hoch, Laura

Podolny, Alexandra

Digital Commons @ UM Law

DomPrep Journal  | About Us  | DomPrep40  | Advertise  | Webinars  | Reports  | Grants  | Resilience  | Calendar of EventsHome | First Responder | Medical Response | Government | Industry | Infrastructure | Commentary | TrainingExercises | University Updatesby UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CENTER FOR HEALTH AND HOMELAND SECURITYWed, October 15, 2014Since 2005, The Center for Health andHomeland Security (CHHS) has partnered withthe Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of EmergencyManagement (MOEM) on numerous efforts toimprove the safety and security of the region. Asan academic consulting agency based locally outof the University of Maryland, Baltimore, CHHShas worked with a variety of agencies in Baltimore over the years to supportpreparedness efforts. With a staff of more than 60 professionals with expertise in law,counterterrorism, emergency management, and public health, CHHS provides hands-on work to clients across the city and around the world, and shares resources and bestpractices to enhance clients’ internal goals and objectives.Initially, CHHS staff members worked with MOEM and the Baltimore Urban AreaWork Group to assist with homeland security grant applications and grantsmanagement. In 2006, CHHS led the effort to write MOEM’s Urban Areas SecurityInitiative (UASI) grant application, which was eventually given a perfect score by theU.S. Department of Homeland Security, thereby securing critical funds forsustainment and improvement of emergency management efforts. Because effectivegrants administration requires full awareness of programmatic details, the CHHSstaffers became more involved with substantive MOEM projects, including planningand program management services.In 2009-2010, CHHS had three staffers working directly for MOEM, supportinggrants, developing a strategic plan for the region, and overseeing numerous citysubcommittees. One former CHHS staff member, Calvin Bowman, moved on to workdirectly for MOEM as a senior policy advisor and chairman of the Baltimore UrbanArea Security Initiative. That move helps preserve the cooperative relationshipbetween the organizations. Over the years, CHHS has expanded its work with the city,as well as stakeholders in the region, to include planning for emergencies, supportingthe city’s emergency operations center, and, most recently, conducting exercises to testa variety of capabilities.These exercises focused on a wide range of topics, including 911 call centers, continuityof operations planning, and large-scale incidents in Washington, D.C., that may affectthe Baltimore region. The findings and recommendations for improvement from eachof these exercises have helped increase preparedness and response capabilities forBaltimore City. Below is a summary of each of the exercises conducted by CHHS withMOEM.Baltimore City Communications & Call Center Tabletop ExerciseIn October 2012, CHHS and MOEM conducted a tabletop exercise that tested the city’semergency communications network and capabilities, in addition to its continuityplans. Emergency communications are critical when responding to major incidents, aswell as for the city’s day-to-day operations. The Baltimore City Communications andCall Center Tabletop Exercise presented scenarios that would impact communicationscapabilities and impede 911 services and facilitated discussion among senior officials –including MOEM, the Baltimore City Fire Department, the Baltimore City PoliceDepartment, the Mayor’s Office of Information Technology, and the MunicipalTelephone Exchange. The exercise identified ways to enhance current capabilities andincrease the overall preparedness and response of emergency services.Find articles containing:   SEARCH  | Advanced SearchHome : Training : ExercisesA Training Partnership That Began With a GrantWelcome, Danielle Lueking | Logout | My Account | HelpFor more informationMORE IN EXERCISESA Training Partnership That Began With a GrantPlanning for High-Impact Threats to CriticalInfrastructureDivision of Strategic National Stockpile (SNS)CourseHospital Emergency Response Training (HERT) forMass-Casualty IncidentsE357 State Individual Assistance OperationsExercise Evaluation and Improvement Planning(E0131)Exercise Extent-of-Play AgreementsE0176 Hazus-MH for Floodplain ManagersHospital Emergency Response Training for MassCasualty IncidentsFood Defense Activities - A Year in ReviewARTICLE COMMENTSBaltimore Metropolitan Local Capability Exercise CHHS supported MOEM in conducting the Baltimore Metropolitan Local CapabilityExercise in April 2013. The tabletop was one of four related exercises that were part ofthe Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program, each focusing on theconsequences of the explosion of a 10-kiloton nuclear device in Washington, D.C. Thetabletop concentrated on the impacts of evacuating the population from D.C. to theBaltimore area, and then considered impacts of nuclear fallout on the Baltimoreregion. Issues included transportation and evacuation management, command andcontrol, communications infrastructure, public messaging, and impacts on the supplychains within the region. CHHS led the development, facilitation, and evaluation of theexercise.Baltimore City Continuity of Operations Tabletop ExerciseIn November 2013, CHHS supported MOEM in the development of a Continuity ofOperations (COOP) Tabletop Exercise. The purpose of the exercise was to bringtogether stakeholders from city agencies to discuss and review their COOP plans.COOP plans ensure that agencies are able to continue performance of essentialfunctions following a disaster. Participants had the opportunity to evaluate their COOPplans during a mock weather event that affects the city. Lessons learned andrecommendations for improvement from the exercise were then taken back to eachparticipating agency for inclusion in their COOP plans.Star Spangled SpectacularTo prepare the regional stakeholders for the largest event in Baltimore’s history, CHHSdeveloped a mock disaster exercise in 2014 for the Maryland Emergency ManagementAgency (MEMA), which involved coordination among participants, including MOEM,a month before the events. The first part of the exercise explored a mock weatherscenario: a tornado affecting the Festival Villages and the Inner Harbor during theheight of the Star Spangled Spectacular. Although it was merely an exercise, thescenario gave participants a chance to discuss their roles, responsibilities, and actionsif such an event occurred. As the mock scenario unfolded, first responders quicklyreviewed their approved plans and openly discussed the activities their agency wouldbe involved in as a response to the tornado.In addition to the mock tornado, exercise participants also were presented withanother scenario: a mock terrorist attack during the celebration and an explosionaboard a military vessel located at Locust Point. Overall, the exercise offeredstakeholders – including local, state, and federal partners – involved in the StarSpangled Spectacular an opportunity to discuss all aspects of response to a potentialincident during the event.  Information for this article provided by:Vernon Herron, MS, is a senior policy analyst for CHHS. Before joining CHHS,Vernon Herron served as the deputy chief administrative officer for public safety anddirector of homeland security in Prince George’s County, Maryland. He also servedmore than 27 years in the Maryland State Police where he progressed through theranks to major. As commander in the Maryland State Police, he led the Violent CrimeStrike Force. He is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s NationalAcademy, holds a Master’s of Science in Management from Johns HopkinsUniversity, and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from the University ofMaryland, University College.Laura Hoch, MPIA, CHHS exercise and training program manager, joined CHHS inDecember 2010 as a policy analyst. In 2013, she was named exercise and trainingprogram manager where she leads the center’s efforts to develop and evaluateclients’ operational response plans for a variety of hazard scenarios. She graduatedfrom Allegheny College with a degree in political science and received a Master ofPublic and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate Schoolof Public and International Affairs.Alexandra Podolny, JD, CHHS associate director, joined CHHS in May 2005 as a lawand policy analyst. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University ofMaryland, College Park, and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Maryland,Francis King Carey School of Law. As an associate director since 2007, she hasresponsibilities including the oversight of several Maryland Emergency ManagementAgency planning projects, interoperability efforts, and supporting local emergencyoperations agencies in D.C. and Maryland. She also has supervised numerouscontinuity of operations planning projects for state and local agencies, academicinstitutions, and various other organizations. 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A Training Partnership that Began with a Grant

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