August 04, 2009

Baton Rouge - On August 5, 2009, the Louisiana Region 6, 7, and 8 parish Offices of Emergency Preparedness (OEPs) will conduct the Northern Louisiana Multi-regional Winter Storm Tabletop Exercise (TTX).

This exercise is sponsored by the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) and paid for by a Federal grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The exercise will focus on preparing Regions 6, 7, and 8 parish emergency management and response agency personnel to effectively execute their Emergency Operations Center (EOC) management capability during a response to a winter storm.

As part of the exercise, various Louisiana departments and agencies will provide subject matter experts (SMEs) to answer questions and provide information on their State agency and department capabilities to support the parishes during a winter storm. The DHS/FEMA Exercise Support Team will serve as facilitators and evaluators for the discussion. The results of the discussion will be compiled in an After Action Report and Improvement Plan with recommendations for future training, equipment, and response procedures.

Purpose and Scope

The purpose of this exercise is two-fold:

• Evaluate the actions of participants from the Louisiana Region 6, 7, and 8 parish EOCs against current operational policies, plans, procedures, and capabilities for response and recovery efforts for a catastrophic winter storm.

• Identify the strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in parish policies, plans, and procedures established to manage the consequences of a winter storm.

The scope of play for this exercise includes the Region 6, 7, and 8 parish EOC staffs as well as State SMEs, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), private industry, and Federal partners to answer parish questions. The exercise will involve multiple agencies and will be conducted in a no-fault, no‑inspection learning environment.

A TTX is a facilitated, discussion-based exercise that is designed to give participants an opportunity to discuss how they would respond to and apply existing plans, policies, and procedures in a given scenario.

Scenario

The scenario will involve a major winter storm that moves from Texas through the northern half of Louisiana. The storm causes a drop in temperatures to the high 20s, resulting in 3 to 4 inches of freezing rain overnight, followed by 4 to 5 inches of snow throughout the day. The storm disrupts communications and electrical power throughout the affected area.

Participants

Region 6 Parishes

• Avoyelles Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

• Catahoula Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

• Concordia Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

• Grant Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

• LaSalle Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

• Natchitoches Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

• Rapides Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

• Sabine Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

• Vernon Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

• Win Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

Region 7 Parishes

• Bienville Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

• Bossier Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

• Caddo Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

• Claiborne Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

• Desoto Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

• Red River Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

• Webster Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

Region 8 Parishes

• Caldwell Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

• East Carroll Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

• Franklin Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

• Jackson Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

• Lincoln Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

• Madison Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

• Morehouse Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

• Ouachita Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

• Richland Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

• Tensas Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

• Union Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

• West Carroll Parish OEP and appropriate response agencies

State Agencies

• Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP)

• Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH)

• Department of Social Services (DSS)

• Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD)

• Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF)

• Department of Education (DOE)

• Public Service Commission (PSC)

• Louisiana Army National Guard (LANG)

• Louisiana State Police (LSP)

• Northwestern State University – Natchitoches

Nongovernmental Agencies

• American Red Cross

• Louisiana Bankers Association

Federal Agencies

• DHS/FEMA

• FEMA Region VI

• National Weather Service (NWS)

Private Sector

• CLECO Corporation

Media Contacts:

Veronica Mosgrove, GOHSEP
225-573-3718 / 225-358-5667
veronica.mosgrove@la.gov