LESSONS LEARNED - CRISIS MANAGEMENT EXERCISES -

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 QUITO 000562 SIPDIS DIR FSINFATC FOR FSI/LMS/CMT S/ES-O/CMS, WHA/EX AND DS/IP/WHA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AEMR CASC ASEC AFSI KCOM OTRA KESS EC SUBJECT: LESSONS LEARNED - CRISIS MANAGEMENT EXERCISES - U.S. MISSION TO ECUADOR RESPONSE REF: A. FSINFATC 0905 ¶B. QUITO 0183 ¶C. 04 GUAYAQUIL 1398 ¶D. 04 QUITO 1933 ¶E. 04 QUITO 0037 ¶F. 03 QUITO 3681 ¶1. Embassy Quito and Consulate General Guayaquil recently participated in FSI sponsored Crisis Management Exercises. Embassy Quito participated in the Crisis Management Overview training on 02/28/05 and the CME on 03/01/05. Consulate General Guayaquil participated in the Crisis Management Overview training on 03/03/05 and the CME on 03/04/05. The U.S. Mission to Ecuador appreciates the hands-on training given by FSI instructor Douglas Treat. As outlined in REFS, the Ambassador has been at the forefront in ensuring that Embassy Quito and Consulate General Guayaquil are ready for any eventuality. Under the Ambassador's leadership, Post has been proactively planning and training for disasters over the past 32-months and will incorporate this latest training into our overall emergency preparedness plan. ¶2. Responses are keyed to REFTEL A: ¶A. Format of the CME: What recommendations would you make regarding the form and conduct of the exercise: Were four hours sufficient to meet your objectives? Embassy Quito Response - The form and conduct of the exercises were appropriate for these training sessions. The exercises were inclusive and touched on the primary points in the EAP and emergency preparedness planning. Post believes that four hours was sufficient for the crisis management exercise. ¶B. Selection of scenarios: Please comment on the scenarios played during the exercise. Which scenarios were most valuable? Should some be dropped? Were there additional/other crises you would like presented? Embassy Quito Response - Since the RSO conducted pre- planning meetings with the FSI Instructor prior to the exercises, the scenarios reflected the realities facing the USG in Ecuador. They touched on political violence, fire and natural disasters -- all events that have already affected Post over the past few years. Post believes that all of the scenarios were valuable and should not be dropped. As stated above, these scenarios were built around the events that Post has already faced, or could face in the future, so additional crisis scenarios were not necessary. ¶C. How appropriate was the kind and amount of intervention by the controller in the exercise? What about the controller's observations for post management from the exercise? Embassy Quito Response - The FSI controller gave detailed and helpful instructions prior to the start of the exercise -- especially to the DCM and the RSO. These instructions helped to establish the tempo of the exercises and allowed for maximum participation by the participants. The controller's intervention was ideal and his observations for post management were on the mark. Post has already incorporated some of the controller's observations - to include greater LES participation. ¶D. What would the post do differently in response to a real crisis as a result of this training? Embassy Quito Response - The training helped to focus Post's Disaster Committee's roles and responsibilities. This is especially true in dealing with contacts and the media. Committee members have a deeper understanding, and appreciation, for their roles in the event of a crisis, especially a major natural disaster that would seriously damage the infrastructure of the city. ¶E. What lessons did post take from the CME? What best practices for crisis management emerged? What changes, if any, have you made in your EAP procedures as a result of the exercise? Have you formulated an action plan to deal with issues that arose during the CME? Embassy Quito Response - One of the most important lessons learned was how Post would deal with a sudden influx of TDY personnel sent to Ecuador to respond to a crisis - especially if Post was at essential staff. Because of this, the Disaster Committee will meet to discuss drafting a checklist for dealing with this potentiality. This would include additional checks of Post's communication system, more inclusion of Embassy dependents and additional in-house tabletop exercises. Post is currently updating the EAP and will incorporate these lessons learned into the new product. ¶F. What aspects of stand-alone CMT Overview Training did post find useful? How could it be improved? Would post have preferred a lengthier stand-alone session, including an exercise more closely resembling the CME that was presented for EAC? Does post plan any follow- up to the fundamentals training, for LES or non-EAC Americans? Embassy Quito Response - Post felt that the overview training was beneficial in that it outlined crisis management training for Embassy employees who do not regularly participate in EAC meetings. Several attendees stated that they now have a better under- standing of the process and would be better able to deal with a crisis in the future. Post believes that the time frame was sufficient, but that the scenarios should reflect, to the extent possible, the scenarios addressed in the CME. As indicated above, Post will continue to hold training sessions for all Mission personnel. Post will report these SEPTEL. ¶G. Frequency of CME: We would appreciate your candid comments on the optimal frequency of CMEs. What would be best - maintain current schedule (once every two years),offer more frequently (specify, for example, once every one and one-half years),or offer less frequently (specify). Secondly, should all posts have an equal opportunity to have CMEs with the same frequency or should level of threat to post guide us in scheduling their frequency? Embassy Quito Response - The current schedule of once every two years is optimal as a base point. But, threat levels should also play a role in the frequency of exercises that a Mission holds -- even if done in-house. A Post with a threat rating of low for crime would have different problems when compared to a Post with a criminal threat rating of critical. This also holds true for the other threat levels. Embassy Quito has been proactive in conducting in-house drills and exercises that reflect our current threat ratings. Post has tailored the scenarios provided by FSI into Ecuador specific exercises. This has meant that Post is better prepared for the myriad of potential problems facing Ecuador and the Mission. ¶H. Any other comments on the CME or Crisis Management Training offered at FSI would be appreciated. Embassy Quito Response - Post recommends that FSI continue to develop CME scenarios that can be used by Posts around the world. These would incorporate lessons learned from real life incidents and the steps that other Posts took to respond to crisis events -- from political violence to terrorism to natural disasters. KENNEY