DOH and IPRO Provide Webinar on Table-Top Exercises
(Dec. 23, 2024) On Dec. 11th, the NYS Department of Health (DOH) Office of Aging and Long-Term Care (OALTC) presented a webinar titled Emergency Preparedness – Table-Top Exercise. While the program was promoted to adult care facilities (ACFs), it is applicable to other provider types. A Table-Top Exercise is a guided discussion of an emergency plan in a non-stressful setting simulating an actual emergency event. The webinar discussed the purpose, importance, and steps in developing and conducting Table-Top Exercises for providers. These exercises allow an organization’s existing emergency response plans to be tested and evaluated before an actual event occurs. Essential staff act out their roles in a variety of hazard scenarios tailored to the facility. This real-life emergency event simulation also serves as a staff training opportunity.
The webinar reviewed the following basic elements of Table-Top Exercises:
- Steps in planning
- Establishing the goals, objectives, participants, roles, and responsibilities
- Choosing and customizing appropriate and realistic scenarios
- Conducting the exercise
- Debriefing and evaluating the exercise
- Developing an After-Action Report (AAR)
- Tips for success and best practices
A recording of this webinar can be accessed here, and the slide deck is here. The recording of the webinar is also embedded in the first slide, and the training has also been posted to the Public Health Learns site as OALTC-527.
Contact: Diane Darbyshire, ddarbyshire@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8828