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Poster Reception #1

Disaster and Emergency Management Evaluation

Session: Poster Reception #1

39 - Understanding National Preparedness through Local Exercise: Findings from the ASPR’s Medical Response and Surge Exercise

Stream: Specific Issues

Wednesday, October 23, 2024
5:30 PM - 7:00 PM PST
Abstract Information: Exercises are an important tool for emergency and disaster preparedness professionals. They allow communities and organizations to assess their current state of preparedness, validate capabilities, address areas for improvement, and shape planning to prepare for and respond to emergencies and disasters. The Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) provides a set of guiding principles for exercise evaluation and a common approach for assessing exercise objectives and capabilities, identifying strengths and areas for improvement, and documenting corrective actions in an After-Action Report and Improvement Plan (AAR/IP). However, learning about progress toward preparedness across multiple exercises has been a challenge for federal, state, and local partners.

This presentation offers insights based on the evaluation of exercise data collected by the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR). ASPR created the Medical Response and Surge Exercise (MRSE) to assist health care coalitions (HCCs) and their jurisdictional partners with preparing for emergency and disasters that exceed the day-to-day capacity of health care and emergency response systems. HCCs bring together individual health care and response organizations within a defined geographic area, such as acute care hospitals, emergency medical service (EMS) providers, emergency management agencies, and public health agencies, to prepare health care delivery systems to respond during emergencies and disasters. The MRSE provides HCCs with a flexible exercise format that incorporates the unique threats, risks, and needs of their jurisdiction. Simultaneously, it enables national-level exercise data collection and evaluation. HCCs strive to ensure each member has access to what it needs to respond to emergencies and other events, including information, medical equipment and supplies, communication systems, and trained health care workforce. The MRSE also offers HCCs the opportunity to identify the specific needs of their communities most impacted by emergencies and disasters, including at-risk individuals and underserved communities.

During this presentation, presenters will describe the foundational principles and design of the MRSE. These leaders will discuss the evaluation’s mixed methods approach, including both qualitative and quantitative analysis of exercise data. They will also share insights regarding the ability of HCCs to manage patient surge to reduce morbidity and mortality in emergencies and disasters, as well as their successes and challenges. ASPR plans to use these evaluation results to further inform its technical assistance.