PLT - How to Exercise your Emergency Action Plans to be both impactful to dam owners and your downstream communities

Exercising your Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) is an important way to increase preparedness for dam-related hazards. By running a Tabletop Exercise (TTX), which involves simulating emergency scenarios, both dam owners and communities can better understand their roles in the event of a dam incident.

When designing a TTX, it's essential to consider the different members of an exercise design team. This typically includes dam safety engineering professionals, emergency management professionals and other technical experts who may have knowledge related to possible impacts of an incident on the local community and environment.

Once the exercise design team is assembled, objectives should be compiled for each participant to ensure that everyone understands their responsibilities during the exercise. These objectives might include identifying gaps in existing plans, understanding communication procedures and exploring ways to collaborate with other stakeholders.

The exercise design team should also develop scenario(s) to challenge all participants. The scenarios should reflect potential risks related to a dam incident and be realistic enough so that everyone involved can gain valuable insights into areas where they need improved preparedness and increased awareness of emergency situations.

Finally, the evaluation elements of the TTX are critical to ensure that it's successful. Evaluation criteria should measure how well each participant handled their responsibilities during the exercise and provide feedback on any changes or improvements needed for increased safety when an emergency situation occurs. Additionally, participants should have ample opportunities to practice responding to various emergency scenarios throughout the TTX.