PowerPoint Presentation NEN

1
SIMNET National Exercise Simulation
Network Concept and Status
Mike Nicholson Director, Transformation Office
Information and Technology Division
2
Concept

• A live, virtual, and constructive capability
  providing
• Integrated network linkage achieved through
  existing command centers and operational
  communications systems
• Scalability and plugability from full scale
  nationwide exercises to local first-responder
  training
• Aggregation of entities
• Multi-speed replay capability permitting
  alternatives analysis
• Evaluation of communications capabilities and
  analytic aids

3
Integrating the Homeland Protection Networks
Assess to Build Capability, Exercise to Build
Preparedness
Federal Entities DHS DoD DoJ DoE HHS
State Dot DoT USCG Etc WH Congress Courts
Training, Exercise and Assessment Centers of
Excellence
Critical Dedicated and Distributed Capabilities
and Services
Dedicated and Distributed Capabilities and
Services
Dedicated Federal Training Facilities Natl
Labs Universities Think Tanks
Ops Ctrs Command Ctrs JFOs
Operating entities

• Training, exercise, and assessment development
  and delivery
• Training, exercise, simulation platform
  deployment
• Data/information collection, integration and
  dissemination
• Data repository and processing services
• Network facilities, logistics and management
• Exercise management and operations support
• Operations maintenance engineering RD

State and Local Entities A .. Z Regional
Bodies
Private Sector Corporate NGO (Red Cross,
Etc) Faith Based Media
EOCs Command Posts Authorities Operators
Operating entities
Operating entities
International State Dept Coalition Partners
4
Mandate

• The President shall establish a national exercise
  simulation center that
• uses a mix of live, virtual, and constructive
  simulations to
• (A) Prepare elected officials, emergency
  managers, emergency response providers, and
  emergency support providers at all levels of
  government to operate cohesively
• (B) Provide a learning environment for the
  homeland security of all federal agencies
• assist in the development of operational
  procedures and exercises, particularly those
  based on catastrophic incidents and

5
Mandate
(D) Allow incident commanders to exercise
decision making in a simulated environment and
(2) Uses modeling and simulation for training,
exercises, and command and control functions at
the operational level. Conference Report on H.R.
5411, Department of Homeland Security
Appropriations ACT, 2007

6
SIMNET leverage

• Make the program better, faster, cheaper
• More realistic participants use their actual
  workspaces, IT resources and networks
• Schedule acceleration construction off critical
  path
• Cost savings to IOC
• Bricks and mortar
• Re-use of DOD, NPPD software and models
• Eases scheduling conflicts
• Saves travel costs

7
SIMCEN is central to SIMNET
State Local Tribal Governments as well as
Individual first responders (PREPnet)
Homeland Defense NORTHCOM JOC JFCOM JOC (CWID
2007)
NOC
NETC
IIMG
FEMA
Simulation Center (SIMCEN) TELL
USCG C2C
Other Federal DOI HHS (TOPOFF Exercise Series)
Other Response Organizations American Red
Cross, ANG, and other NGOs (Disaster Senior
Leadership Huddle)
PD EMP

FPS

• HSIN

TSOC

For Official Use Only
8
Technology

• Simulation-based exercises contrast with table
  top
• Events not scripted decision-based
• Runs in real-time
• Uses actual communication media
• Geographical features topography, interior
  floors, tunnels, water, fire, plumes, etc.
• Simulating on-scene personnel, eliminating need
  to take first responders off the job while
  commanders participate in exercise
• More realistic environment more prone to reveal
  inconsistencies/incompatibilities
• Playback facilitates individual/collaborative
  review of decisions

9
JIEC enhances mission effectiveness

• Provide information, resources, and prototypes
  for technology solutions that address mission
  capability gaps identified by practitioners
  in the emergency response community .
• Joint Interoperability and Evaluation Center
  features equipment and systems onsite at NETC
  demonstrating advanced capability to link and
  support first responders
• SIMNET incorporates hardware, software and
  engineering as necessary to provide specific
  capabilities for demo spirals

10
Program Objective

• Leverage and coordinate existing resources and
  programs

for coherent, consistent training, exercise,
planning and assessment.
11
Getting started - Spiral 1

• Demonstrate connectivity and situational
  awareness maximizing practical use of existing
  assets.
• Acquire HSIN accounts and training
• NORTHCOM
• USARNORTH HQ
• Region 3
• Wisconsin EOC
• Montgomery County
• 30 April connectivity test
• Establish HSIN SIMNET site
• Scenario development local incident
• Full demonstration mid-summer 07

12
Prospective spirals
13
Core Team
14
Collaborators
15
Milestones and Progress

• Feb 05 Initial discussions - USSS,
  FPS
• Jul 05 Concept paper to ST
• Feb 06 Working Group established
• Feb-Apr 06 HSI Concept Study
• Jul 06-Ongoing TELL development
• Apr 07 IAC Center of Excellence
• Summer 07 Spiral 1 - Interoperability demo

16
Whats Next

• Ongoing Continued interoperability trials, JIEC
• Late Fall Simulation system suitability trials
  at NETC
• Spring 2008 Initial Operational Capability