CEA Table Top Exercises

A tabletop exercise is a focused practice activity that places the participants in a simulated situation requiring them to function in the capacity that would be expected of them in a real event. An expansion of the case-study approach for business training, "tabletops" provides a non-threatening way to work through all of the considerations of managing an incident. Tabletop exercises can focus on events such as shooters, bombers, breaches of security, lockdowns and evacuations. Participants are encouraged to confirm their understanding of procedures and adapt procedures to a realistic set of circumstances. The tabletop format also allows personnel to voice concerns about their responsibilities in a time of crisis and where they feel the organization is particularly vulnerable. In essence, a tabletop is a unique way of looking at the incident's "big picture" which can expose problems that may not have occurred to anyone before.

Comprehensive tabletop exercises will provide organization employees and staff with the knowledge and training to be prepared to prevent, mitigate, and respond to a crisis or emergency. Employees and staff who participate in preparedness exercises are better equipped to share the responsibility of protecting the facility itself from potential threats and attacks.

The tabletop program will engage decision makers and crisis management personnel in problem-solving methods designed to help them step through the actionable items associated with risk management and the decision-making processes. Through scenario-driven exercises, participants will have the opportunity both to learn about and to act in situations through which they can demonstrate their knowledge and thinking processes. Situational animations and virtual reality videos will add the realism necessary for participants to transfer knowledge gain to action.