FCC Hawaii Tabletop Exercise

By Ana Allen (PRMC)May 9, 2014

Military and Civilian leaders gather at FCC Hawaii tabletop exercise
Brig. Gen. Dennis Doyle, Commanding General of Pacific Regional Medical Command (PRMC) and Tripler Army Medical Center (TAMC) provides remarks during the first ever Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam (JBPHH) Hickam Field Patient Reception Area Tabletop E... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Tripler Army Medical Center hosted its first ever Hawaii Federal Coordinating Center (FCC) Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam (JBPHH) Hickam Field Patient Reception Area Tabletop Exercise at the Makai Recreation Center on JBPHH May 7, 2014.

The meeting brought military and civilian leaders from across the medical community together to simulate disaster responses for improved understanding and coordination in the event of an actual emergency.

Participants reviewed a newly produced FCC Hawaii Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) that spells out roles and responsibilities and applied the guidance to a simulated disaster scenario. At the conclusion of the exercises, participants provided feedback on the SOP to strengthen the guide.

"The last place you want to be during a disaster is around the table meeting your counterparts for the first time," said Col. Eric Tobiason, FCC Admin Chief (Federal Coordinating Center). "The purpose of this exercise is to meet everybody that's going to show up during an actual activation here in Hawaii. Working our way through these exercises we understand each other's roles and who's responsible for each component of the mission. This is the first time we've been able to do something quite like this."

The event also provided military and civilian counterparts an opportunity to gain insight into each other's organizations.

"The most interesting and strongest piece for me was getting to hear Tripler's capabilities and how information is passed from one location to another in the event of a disaster and what that really looks like," said American Red Cross Director of Emergency Services, Maria Lutz.

Toby Clairmont, Director of Emergency Services and the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, says the training gives civilian key players a chance to get a broader view of emergency response procedures. "They see what they do within their own organizations but when they come to a tabletop exercise like this, they get an opportunity to see the full spectrum and it helps to reinforce the importance of their role."

Hawaii FCC is expected to host another table exercise next spring to prepare for a Hawaii National Guard led exercise, later next year.