CONSULATE KARACHI - LESSONS LEARNED - CRISIS

UNCLAS KARACHI 000110 SIPDIS DIR FSINFATC FOR FSI/LMS/CMT, SECSTATE FOR S/ES-O/CMS, DS/DSS/OP, CA/OCS/ACS, SCA/EX E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AEMR AMGT ASEC CASC PK SUBJECT: CONSULATE KARACHI - LESSONS LEARNED - CRISIS MANAGEMENT EXERCISE REF: FSINFATC 679 Consulate General Karachi's responses are keyed to reftel: ¶A. Format of the CME: Consulate Karachi used a table-top format for the training which was held on March 13, 2009. Post was allocated four hours for the exercise which was sufficient to meet our objectives. ¶B. Selection of scenarios: The scenarios presented were appropriate and realistic to our geographic location. ¶C. How appropriate was the kind and amount of intervention by the controller exercised: The CME trainer, Brenda Pennington, exerted an appropriate amount of intervention, making suggestions or comments when needed. ¶D. Lessons learned from the CME: There were many lessons and best practices that emerged from the CME. One lesson was the realization that not every incident commander needs to be an American. ¶E. Changes to be made to the EAP as a result of the CME exercise: Post learned, after an involved discussion with the LES staff, that in an emergency, such as a plane crash, emergency personnel will automatically take victims to the government hospitals (Jinnah Post Medical Center and Civil Government Hospital) - they will NOT take them to Aga Khan University Hospital which is our preference because of the higher standard of medical care there. Therefore, Post needs to have the contact names and numbers for these hospitals available in our EAP in order to find AmCits and get them transferred to Aga Khan. Additionally, Post learned was that there are no bathroom facilities in our consular safe haven and that the safe haven needs shock blankets and a defibrillation kit. ¶F. Usefulness of CME exercise: Due to the volatile security situation in Pakistan, CME training is frequently advised. The exercise served as a refresher for our LES staff and was extremely helpful to our newly arrived American staff. ¶G. Any other comments: One issue which Post addressed with the CME trainers was the lack of classified processing at our alternative command center. One of the trainers (Shawn Baxter) currently works at the Operations Center and found this information quite, useful since some of the portals that should be accessed during an emergency are on the classified network. Both trainers were very helpful and prepared to assist post. They provided us with valuable insight on how an emergency situation would be handled by the Department. RODRIGUEZ