1) Question: Does the FY11 exercise guidance apply to previous years?
Answer: No, the only exception is the submission of After Action Reports/Improvement Plans which can now be submitted 90 days following conduct of an exercise (previous year guidance required 60 days). 

2) Question: Who is required to engage in exercise activities? 
Answer: The EMPG guidance has two distinct requirements: 1) for the State/territorial emergency management programs; and 2) EMPG-funded personnel.  The EMPG grantee and/or the State/territorial emergency management programs are required to conduct four exercises of any type plus one full-scale exercise (a total of five exercises per year).  EMPG-funded personnel are required to participate in three exercises of any type per year. 

3) Question: Is the requirement to conduct 5 exercises applicable to local sub-grantees?
Answer: No.  The requirement to conduct 5 exercises is for State/territorial emergency management programs only. 
4) Question:  Can a local exercise count toward the requirement for the state/territorial emergency management program to conduct 5 exercises?
Answer:  Yes, grantees can leverage exercises across their emergency management program (including local exercises funded through the Homeland Security Grant Program or other funding sources) to satisfy this requirement, as long as the grantee is participating in some capacity.  For example, if Franklin County, Ohio is conducting a full-scale exercise and the State of Ohio Emergency Management Program is participating with resources (e.g., Department of Transportation resources, State Highway Patrol resources, EPA resources), this will satisfy the full-scale requirement.

5) Question:  What types of exercises can satisfy the requirement to conduct 5 exercises?
Answer: Besides the full-scale exercise requirement, the other four exercises can be of any type (e.g., seminars, workshop, tabletop, drill, functional, etc.), and can be as simple as a comms check or tabletop discussion.   It is preferable that the exercises are progressive in nature, each exercise building on the last toward a capstone, full-scale exercise. 

6) Question: Will responses to real world events count toward the exercise requirements?
Answer: There should be a sufficient number of exercises occurring throughout a State that can be leveraged toward meeting these requirements without the need to count a real world event.  Additionally, exercises are designed to validate objectives that may not be tested during a real world event.  The value of conducting exercises is to identify areas for improvement and address those areas before responding to a real world event. 

If a State/territory/local jurisdiction has experienced a major disaster, and would like to request exemptions for a scheduled exercise, the grantee should send this request to their assigned FEMA Regional Grant Manager through the quarterly EMPG report. Exemptions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Regional Grant Manager.

7) Question: Who counts as EMPG-funded personnel?
Answer: EMPG funded personnel are all personnel with salaries supported with EMPG grant funds, including those supported with management and administrative (M&A) funds and cost-share recipients.  Volunteers who receive a stipend through EMPG funds are not considered EMPG-funded personnel.

8) Question:  Which EMPG-funded personnel are required to participate in 3 exercises?
Answer:  All EMPG-funded personnel are required to participate in 3 exercises. 

9) Question: Why would administrative staff have to complete the Professional Development Series (PDS) if their duties do not require the activities that they are being trained against?
Answer:  All EMPG funded personnel are expected to be trained emergency managers capable of filling in and responding as needed.  

10) Question:  Are staff not funded by EMPG required to participate in 3 exercises?
Answer:  No.  However, FEMA encourages all emergency management personnel to participate in regular exercises and training activities.  

11) Question:  Do local subgrantees need to complete their own Threat and Hazard Identification Risk Assessment (THIRA)?  
Answer: No.  However, FEMA recommends that all grantees and subgrantees go through the necessary steps to identify threats and hazards to guide preparedness activities and investments.  The grantee’s THIRA should be based on input from all levels of Government.

12) Question:  In what timeframe do these EMPG requirements need to be met?
Answer:  Within a 12-month period.

13) Question:  Is the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) process required?
Answer:  HSEEP is strongly encouraged, but it is not a requirement. 

14) Question:  Do the grant effectiveness measures outlined in the EMPG Grant Guidance apply to other grant programs?
Answer:  No, while some of the other grant programs share some of the same effectiveness measures, the grant effectiveness measures for the EMPG program are unique to the EMPG program.   

15) Question: Where should completed After Action Report/Improvement Plans (AAR/IPs) and Training and Exercise Plans (TEP) be submitted?
Answer: AAR/IPs and TEPs must be submitted to hseep@dhs.gov with a copy to the EMPG Program Analyst and Regional Exercise Officer. Please ensure the AAR/IP and TEP documents are password-protected and the passwords are also sent to hseep@dhs.gov via separate emails.  If you are unable to password protect the AAR/IP TEP document, please contact your FEMA Regional Exercise Coordinator for assistance.

16) Question:  I upload my exercise AARs/IPs into the CAP system on a regular basis, is it necessary for me to also email an encrypted copy to the National Exercise Program?  
Answer:  No, if you upload your AARs/IPs into the CAP system, you will not also need to email an encrypted version.  

17) Question: Where will FEMA store the AAR/IP and TEP documents?
Answer: Once received via email, the AAR/IP and TEP documents will be saved to a secure FEMA network folder and the sender will receive an email confirming the receipt.

18) Question: Who will have access to the AAR/IP and TEP documents?
Answer: FEMA Regional Exercise Officers, EMPG Grant Managers, Regional FEMA National Exercise Division and FEMA Grant Programs Directorate staff will have access to the documents. Additional FEMA staff with a demonstrated need-to-know may also be given access to the information to support mission requirements (such as preparedness reporting). As in the past, a State’s specific information will not be released without their consent and AAR/IP data would only be used for aggregate reporting.
 
19) Question: What will the AAR/IP and TEP documents be utilized for?
Answer: The AAR/IP and TEP documents will be used to ensure grant compliance, support implementation of the National Exercise Program and support high-level analysis by FEMA.  As part of biannual programmatic monitoring of EMPG grantees, evidence of submission of AAR/IP reports is requested.  In addition, programmatic monitoring ensures that the appropriate percentage of funds is spent on planning, which includes training and exercise activities, and that the State has a current Training and Exercise Plan (TEP).  

20) Question:  If EMPG-funded personnel have taken previous iterations of the required training courses, does that count toward the FY11 training requirement?
Answer: Yes.  

21) Question:  Does the planning matrix in Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG) 101 v. 2 need to be updated quarterly or annually?
Answer: Annually.  

22) Question:  Where is CPG 101 v.2 and the associated planning matrix available?
Answer: http://www.fema.gov/prepared/plan.shtm



 Frequently Asked Questions - FY11 EMPG Effectiveness Measures

1/24/2012