PCCI, Inc. will identify best practices, innovative approaches, and new concepts for designing, conducting, and evaluating oil spill exercises. All categories of exercises included in the Draft Updated January 2014 NPREP Guidelines will be included in this study, with particular emphasis on notification exercises, announced and un-announced exercises, and equipment deployment exercises.
Task 1. Conduct literature searches and solicit input from oil spill professionals
PCCI will review published literature and reports on oil spill exercises, including NPREP exercises, to identify best practices as well as opportunities for improvements in exercise, design, execution, and evaluation.
Task 2. Identify and assess well-organized emergency response exercise programs
PCCI will review select government, industry emergency exercise programs to identify best practices with application to the design, conduct, and evaluation of NPREP exercises.
Task 3. Identify Innovative Exercise Design Features and Approaches
PCCI will take a creative, new look at how exercises are designed.
Task 4. Identify innovative ways to conduct exercises
PCCI will review and identify innovative methods for conducting exercises that could more closely simulate the organizational, operational and technical problems, conflicts, social media, and other challenges that typically occur in large or complex oil spill events.
Task 5. Opportunities for improvement in Exercise Evaluation
PCCI will explore ways to provide valuable training to the exercise players during the evaluation process.