LESSONS LEARNED - ROME DVC CRISIS MANAGEMENT

UNCLAS ROME 000095 SIPDIS DIR FSINFATC FOR FSI/LMS/CMT SECSTATE FOR S/ES-O/CMS, DS/DSS/OP, CA/OCS/ACS, EUR/EX E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AEMR AFSI AMGT ASEC CASC IT SUBJECT: LESSONS LEARNED - ROME DVC CRISIS MANAGEMENT EXERCISE REF: 08 FSINFATC 2598 ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 10. ¶2. (U) Summary: In November 2008, the Tri-Mission in Rome participated in a Foreign Service Institute- facilitated Crisis Management Exercise (CME) conducted via Digital Video Conference (DVC). The exercise reinforced expectations that the three Missions in Rome would collaborate well in the event of a crisis and identified areas for improvement. Post requests additional training in May. End Summary. ¶3. (U) With the exception of a few technical difficulties, DVC audio and video quality were sufficiently clear and facilitated effective interaction. Post found ninety minutes more than sufficient for the crisis management overview training in the first session, and we believe this time could be shortened. The three hours allotted for the practical exercise portion of the CME were appropriate. ¶4. (U) The scenarios chosen for this exercise were effective and appropriate to Post. Participants expressed interest in additional terrorist-related scenarios in subsequent training. Instead of verbally rehearsing responses to a crisis, some participants requested that a more "hands on" approach be integrated into future exercises. This may be difficult to implement within the confines of the DVC format. ¶5. (U) Douglas Treat met our expectations and successfully addressed attendees' concerns. His leadership allowed for a constructive discussion of management issues throughout the sessions. ¶6. (U) Although both senior and junior level officials were well versed in their responsibilities during a crisis, we learned that, in particular, there is a surprising reservoir of knowledge among junior officers who have had crisis experience at previous posts. This resource should be drawn upon in subsequent exercises. Employees generally felt the exercise clarified their roles during a crisis. Some participants expressed concern that an over-burdened communication system might fail during a crisis and others questioned how well the Tri- Mission could operate from alternate locations. A thorough test of alternative communication capabilities, radio-only communication, setting up of emergency portals, and cooperation with local officials are elements worth integrating into future CMEs. ¶7. (U) The exercise made evident the need to make the Crisis and Emergency Planning Application (CEPA) -- the intranet-based successor to the Emergency Action Plan (EAP) -- more accessible to all employees. Some CME participants felt Post needed to better identify how and where to access the CEPA. It was evident that updated hardcopies need to be kept on hand in the event that computer systems fail. It may also be beneficial to include a CEPA overview in the mandatory security briefings required of all employees, American and local, upon arrival at post. ¶8. (U) Post's CEPA and EAP are currently being updated. The revised plan will include procedural and duty-related checklists. ¶9. (U) The most useful aspects of the CMT were team building and overall cooperation. Less useful aspects included those related to second and third level decision- making on technical or logistical issues during crises; greater emphasis should be placed on the broader strategies for crisis response. The collaboration between post and Treat prior to the exercise was particularly helpful. The scenarios were plausible, albeit within a highly compressed timeframe. Concerning the training overview of the first session, some participants did not see the "value added in having a presentation versus reading the slides ahead of time." Other feedback suggested that the first session was a bit "vague" and could be made more concise. ¶10. (U) Action Request: Post requests additional training in May, in which it will include more locally engaged staff (LES). SPOGLI