James Soto, Associate Director, Disaster Preparedness Bureau of EMS, New York State Dept. of Health, teaching the morning session on day three of the program. (Photo: Anita Salzberg)

Participants from the American Red Cross in Greater New York (ARC/GNY), the NYPD Citywide Incident Management System (CIMS) Office, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH), the New York State Army National Guard (ARNG), and the New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS), among others, took part in The Homeland Security Exercise Evaluation Program (HSEEP) Training Course at ARC/GNY headquarters in Manhattan on January 29, 30 and 31.

The HSEEP Training Course, developed in 2005 by the US Department of Homeland Security, is an interactive program with hands-on exercises. It covers Exercise Program Management, the Exercise Planning Process, and the Exercise Evaluation and Improvement Plan.  The program helps organizations achieve objective assessments of their capabilities so that strengths and areas for improvement are identified, corrected and shared as appropriate prior to a real incident.

ARC/GNY Director, Disaster Training and Exercises Michael T. "Mick” Maurer said, “The course was a great success. We were able to learn and create, process and evaluate joint exercises with our city, state and regional partners.  It gave us the opportunity to learn together as well as to create future working relationships for disaster responses.”