Training & Resources

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Training

Penn State participates in a variety of emergency exercises and drills throughout the year that involve key leadership and stakeholders at the University. We use four types of exercises that are consistent with the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP).

Exercises/Drills

The following can be facilitated with your college, department, or unit.

Drills - This is a coordinated and supervised exercise used to test a single specific operation or function. It involves deployment of equipment and personnel.

Tabletop Exercise - This is a facilitated group analysis of an emergency situation in an informal stress-free environment. It is designed for examination of operational plans, problem identification, and in-depth problem solving.

Functional Exercise - This is a fully simulated interactive exercise that tests the capability of an organization to respond to a simulated event. It takes place in the Emergency Operations Center and focuses on coordination of multiple functions or organizations. This exercise strives for realism and is short of actually deploying equipment and personnel.

Full-Scale Exercise - This is a simulated emergency event, as close to reality as possible. It involves all emergency response functions and requires full deployment of equipment and personnel. (To note, planning efforts for this type of an exercise would take approximately 12 months, from the start to final execution.)

Clery Exercise - This is a year exercise completed with all campuses. The exercises are conducted with campus leadership, as well as their crisis management team to practice emergency situations that fall under the Clery Act. The exercise also generates a physical test of the emergency notification system known as PSUAlert.

Email the Emergency Management Office if your unit is interested in conducting a drill or exercise.

Other Training Sites

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) training page offers information on training, drills, and emergency management.

Penn State Environmental Health & Safety offers training and emergency information.

University Police also offers training exercises and courses on safety, security, and self-defense.

Resources

Travel Warnings

Links to information about Travel and Weather.

State & Federal Links