The Olson Group, Ltd. (OGL) supported the Delaware Emergency Management Agency’s (DEMA’s) statewide exercise program. From the inception of the contract in 2008, OGL has designed, developed, conducted, and evaluated more than 40 all-hazards Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) exercises, including workshops, tabletops, functional and full-scale exercises. OGL has also facilitated the state’s Training and Exercise Planning Workshops.
From June 2014 – November 2014 and February 2015 – November 2015, OGL provided exercise support for two Delaware Department of Technology and Information (DTI) functional exercises focusing on cyber security.
In 2014, OGL provided technical review assistance during the exercise planning process for Maximum Mayhem: Delaware Cyber Security Exercise. During exercise conduct, OGL provided controller/evaluators for some the participating state agencies. These controller/evaluators facilitated exercise discussion at each participating agency location, introduced injects, and provided evaluation input to DTI for its after-action report.
In 2015, OGL led the planning, conduct, and evaluation of Operation Cyber Swarm, a statewide cyber security functional exercise conducted jointly with the Delaware Emergency Management Agency statewide Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) exercise focusing on drone attacks. OGL facilitated planning meetings, worked with DTI to develop the master scenario events list (MSEL) and other exercise documentation, provided exercise controller/evaluators at multiple locations statewide, provided personnel to staff the 15-person Simulation Cell (SimCell), and developed the exercise after action report.
In 2018, OGL designed, managed, facilitated, and evaluated an exercise series throughout the State of Delaware. In accordance with HSEEP, OGL facilitated the Statewide Active Shooter Series which took place in each county in Delaware (Sussex, Kent, and New Castle). The TTX series participants included state and local LE, fire/EMS, dispatch, emergency managers, public information officers, multiple school districts, and the private sector. Following the Active Shooter TTX Series, OGL designed the Sussex County Active Shooter FSE, which took place in October 2018. This two-hour FSE was developed to assess responders’ ability to establish a coordinated Unified Command structure, maintain communication, evaluate Rescue Task Force (RTF) operations, and manage various responders, loved ones, media members, and other arriving personnel on scene. Following the exercise, The Olson Group developed an After-Action Report (AAR) and facilitated the findings (Strengths and Areas for Improvements) at the After-Action Meeting (AAM).
OGL has supported exercises at the state, county, and city level. In addition, DEMA directed OGL to support the development and conduct of several exercises for the multi-state Delmarva Emergency Task Force, addressing issues associated with pre- and post-landfall of a hurricane on the region. OGL has also used the exercise and workshop format to help cities and counties in the state define and correct gaps in response and incident management plans.