NATIONAL INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (NIMS)

General

· The intent of SLPs 1-4 is for you to implement the topics and materials learnt in the course to a “real life” scenario relating to a terrorist attack on U.S. soil in a major city sports arena.

· Each module’s Session Long Project builds upon the other, so you will add the modular sections within one document like chapters in a book.

· You will prepare your “plan” to address your own selected city’s characteristics and capabilities (e.g., if you are from California, you can present a plan for the Staples Center Sports Arena, Dodger Stadium, or the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles; or if you are from the Oakland/San Francisco area, the 49ers’ Stadium in San Jose or The Raiders Stadium Complex in Oakland).

· Follow the general scenario and additional information and updates provided in each Module.

· YOU are the Emergency Manager (EM) for your City (of choice) and from this capacity and role you will address the SLP tasks.

Scenario General Description

Date – August 1, yyyy

The Threat – Intelligence agencies have intercepted (from a credible source) a terrorist organization’s communication regarding a general coordinated plan to use improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to detonate bombs at a major USA city’s sports arena during an event at an arena holding about 10,000 spectators:

Three to five suicide bombers strategically pre-position themselves around the arena. They detonate their bombs and self-destruct in order to guarantee mass panic and chaotic evacuation of the arena.

One or two large vehicle bombs (LVB) are placed in a parking facility near the entertainment complex.

Finally, expecting mass casualties, the adversary agents will detonate an additional series of devices in the lobby of the nearest hospital emergency room (ER).

Timeline – The communication states only a general timeline for the attack to be executed within the month of September. No specific date is identified.

Planning Considerations

Key Implications – Casualties (about 100 fatalities and 500 serious injuries) will result at all incident sites and will include civilians, emergency personnel, and the suicide bombers. The LVB detonation outside the venue will result in the largest number of fatalities and injuries due to the population density expected.

NOTE – Life in the city will not be disrupted and all planned public events are not to be cancelled at this time.

Module 1 SLP – NRF/NIMS – Assignment (You are the City EM)

Choose a city and venue. Profile the venue including number of people it will hold, who owns it, and who provides security and traffic control during events (Private Security or Local Law Enforcement). Use the venue’s web-site as a reference.

Include your venue’s schedule of events for the selected month (at least one per week).

Profile the closest hospital, including Trauma Level, number of beds, who owns the hospital, and who provides security for the facility. If the closest hospital is not a Level I Trauma Center, do the same profiling for the closest hospital that is a Level I Trauma Center.

Present maps/charts and photos of the locale, venue, and nearest hospital(s).

Using your selected city/county websites, profile the Law Enforcement Agencies responsible for responding to the venue and selected hospital(s). Do the same for Fire Departments and EMS services. Describe or list the special response teams each agency has – SWAT, Bomb Squads, Tactical EMS, etc.

Based on the NRF Guiding Principles—(a) engaged partnership; (b) tiered response; (c) scalable, flexible, and adaptable operational capabilities; (d) unity of effort through unified command; and (e) readiness to act:

1. Describe and summarize how you would prepare for such an incident at the state/city level. Use the following NIMS Cycle to describe your preparedness activities for both the venue and hospital, as well as the local response agencies (see http://www.coehsem.com/emergency-management-cycle/ ). Point out the priorities in your plan.

2. Mention the importance of ethical practices and decision-making in a crisis situation (see https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20180926.69826/full/ ).

Preparedness Cycle

Image provided by Homeland Security Emergency Management http://www.coehsem.com/emergency-management-cycle/