Surface Transportation Security: Volume 9, Guidelines for Transportation Emergency Training Exercises

This ninth volume of both NCHRP Report 525: "Surface Transportation Security" and TCRP Report 86: "Public Transportation Security" is designed to assist transportation agencies in developing drills and exercises in alignment with the National Incident Management System (NIMS). In his September 8, 2004, letter to state governors, Department of Homeland Security Tom Ridge wrote that "NIMS provides a consistent nationwide approach for Federal, State, territorial, tribal, and local governments to work effectively and efficiently together to prepare for, prevent, respond to, and recover from domestic incidents, regardless of cause, size or complexity." The objective of this volume is to provide guidelines for use by transportation exercise coordinators. Steps are described in the process of emergency exercise development, implementation, and evaluation. In addition, the available literature and materials to support transportation agencies--including state departments of transportation (DOTs), traffic management centers (TMCs), and public transportation systems--are described. Useful materials are presented as references, with Internet addresses, where applicable. The guidelines in this report are supplemented online at www.TRB.org/SecurityPubs and http://trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=6007 with more than 80 resource files. These guidelines comprise the required elements of a successful transportation emergency exercise program. However, transportation professionals seeking greater levels of preparedness must recognize the critical part that public safety organizations will play in any community emergency and must closely coordinate with these organizations.