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Going forward, the CATEX multi-year exercise program will continue to educate and promote the integrated planning efforts and partnerships for future CATEX exercises.
CATEX 2014 will focus on leveraging the existing integrated planning framework used in 2013 by the private sectors Multi-State Fleet Working Group and government’s East Coast Corridor Coalition (EC3) along with developing “sector specific” exercise modules for the life-line sectors that can be used in any future government (local/state/federal) and/or private sector exercises.
CATEX 2014 exercise modules may consist of tabletop exercise, workshops, and/or drills to support private and will focus on operational priorities in both government and the private sector.
The CATEX 2014 exercise is supported with funding from the NYC/NY RCPT, the NCR UASI, and the private sector and will be expanded for all nine states in FEMA Regions 2&3 and will again involve all the major utilities along the nine-state corridor. CATEX has a major private sector supporting base of over a dozen utilities; the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) and several federal agencies.
An initial planning meeting is scheduled on January 31, 2014 in Montgomery, Pa. The CATEX 2014 exercise will use a scenario that has major regional impacts particularly to the power and electrical grids supporting these key states and urban areas.
The Expected Outcomes:
CATEX exercise modules and the related planning efforts will provide several benefits and capability enhancements to government and the private sector:
- Create consistent exercise engagements with “sectors” based on sector operational priorities
- Increase engagement of private sector operational management/expertise in planning and exercise process
- Provide simple exercise modules for UASI, FEMA, state, local and private sector use that will align with “sector specific” operational needs and produce short/long term operational benefits and capabilities
- Enhanced private sector infrastructure readiness and rapid pre-positioned surge capacity for major urban area EOC’s
- Expedite business recovery cycles and enhance community/economic resilience
- Improve information sharing by leveraging an existing, proven framework in the private sector for secure electronic transmission and sharing of sensitive information used within DoD and the Defense Industrial Base
- Streamline both public and private operational feedback and coordination during event
- Develop a shared public/private sector understanding of certain situations, the joint capabilities available to respond, and improved coordination during response phases of a disaster or event by streamlining operational feedback and coordination
- Coordinate future public and private sector planning and investments by identifying joint risks/gaps and developing joint solutions to address them
- Exercise both private sector and public sector plans to determine gaps and remedies
- Serve as a yearly focal point for the regional UASIs to plan and exercise with federal / private sector
- Opportunity to invite key congressional offices and senior government officials to observe integrated planning efforts with private sector