NJ Disaster Mental Health System to Participate in Multinational Disaster Exercise

Participants in TopOff 2 which involved 8,500 people from Canada and 25 federal, state and local agencies, were introduced to the scenarios prior to the exercise as a way to build and strengthen relationships. TopOff 3 will be held in April 2005.

During TopOff II, Seattle faced a simulated dirty bomb scenario, while Chicago was confronted with the pneumonic plague during the five-day exercise. There was also a large-scale cyber attack in Seattle, which tested several new technologies, such as video conferencing, during the exercise.

TopOff 2000, the first such exercise jointly conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Justice and State departments in May 2000, was staged in Denver, which faced a simulated chemical attack; Portsmouth, N.H., which faced a biological attack; and Washington, D.C., which faced a radiological attack. The five-day exercise was billed as a single, no-notice exercise, which means participants weren't aware of the scenarios beforehand.

Homeland Security Department officials said specific scenarios for TopOff 3 are still being developed, but several objectives include improving the national capacity to respond and recover from attacks using the National Response Plan and the National Incident Management System, and improving international coordination among other things.

New Jersey disaster mental health responders had a similar opportunity to participate in a drill in October 2004, when the state hosted a Strategic National Stockpile exercise. Counselors helped staff Points of Dispensing (PODs) and vaccination clinics during a mock plague outbreak in Monmouth, Passaic and Warren Counties, as well as Atlantic City and Newark. Although mental health operations went smoothly, there were are number of important lessons learned that will be carried forward into TopOff III.

Multi-state and multi-national exercises of this type require an "all hands on deck" approach, and counselors should expect to hear more from their County Mental Health Administrators and agency executives as the time nears. Any counselors who have not yet attended "Managing the Psychosocial Consequences of CBNR Terrorism" or "Disaster Mental Health Logistics and Operations" programs might wish to sign up as soon as those classes are offered nearby. Even if you haven't participated in drills or exercises before, this may be a great opportunity. Remember, drills are to test plans, not people, so don't be so concerned with your individual performance in a drill, rather consider it a great learning opportunity for both you and your local team.