Sometime within the next two weeks, the Vermont Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Coalition (VHEPC) will run a four-hour low/no-notice coalition surge test that will focus on communication and cooperation between members. Low/no-notice exercises do a better job of simulating the reality of rapid-onset incidents than other exercises and are encouraged by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Hospital Preparedness Program (who sponsored the development of this exercise).

The exercise will consist of two phases:

Phase 1.      A 180-minute simulated table top exercise with functional elements that plays out in real time and facilitated discussion.

Phase 2.      A 30- to 45-minute After Action Meeting (AAM) to debrief. This phase should be conducted within 30 days of the Coalition Surge Test.

Your institution may or may not be asked to participate in the real-time Phase 1, and the degree of participation will vary considerably across participants. Your facility may be contacted at any time during the 90 minutes of real-time play.