What is a Complex Coordinated Terrorist Attack (CCTA)?
CCTAs are acts of terrorism that involve synchronized and independent team(s) at multiple locations, sequentially or in close succession, initiated with little or no warning, and employing one or more weapon systems: firearms, explosives, fire as a weapon, and other nontraditional attack methodologies that are intended to result in large numbers of casualties.
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Upcoming Activities
| August 1 & 2, 2019 |
Illinois CCTA Response Drill I & II |
Scott Elementary |
| August 6 & 7, 2019 |
Missouri CCTA Response Drill I & II |
Convention Center/Dome |
| June 2019 - August 2019 |
Regional Response Plan Development |
Ongoing |
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| November 12, 2019 |
Area Command Coordination Functional Exercise |
TBD |
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Breakdown of Top Participants
| Stakeholder Group |
# of Participants |
| Law Enforcement |
332 |
| Public and/or Private |
321 |
| Fire and/or EMS |
204 |
| Healthcare |
162 |
| Communications/Dispatch |
69 |
| Military |
60 |
| Emergency Management |
36 |
| Public Health |
24 |
| Fusion Center |
18 |
| Homeland Security |
11 |
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| By the Numbers... |
| # of Meetings: 23 |
| # of Workshops: 12 |
| # of Exercises: 10 |
| # of Locations: 18 |
| # of Agencies: 391 |
| # of Participants: 1535* |
| # from Missouri: 811 |
| # from Illinois: 376 |
| # from Federal: 90 |
*Total number of people
included in program activities |
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CCTA Response Drills
2-Day Progressive Drill Series
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The purpose of the CCTA Response Drills is to improve plans and procedures for a multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional response to an active threat incident. This two-day progressive drill series aims to validate immediate response protocols on the first day and exercise special operations teams integration the second day.
The drills will be conducted in both states, Illinois and Missouri, at Scott Elementary School and America’s Convention Center, respectively. The first set of response drills in Illinois will be held on August 1 and 2, and the second set of drills in Missouri will be held on August 6 and 7.
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Call for Participants/Players
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Participants have the opportunity to drill the concepts they learned during the March and April training workshops in a 4-hour functional and operations-based exercise at the actual locations featured in the scenarios. For every drill, clearly defined plans, procedures, and protocols need to be in place. Personnel need to be familiar with those plans and trained in the processes and procedures in order to successfully drill and test them. All participants must review their respective Operational Guide Training Documents below. To request a guide, please contact the Program Coordinator.
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Response Drill I
Functional Walk-Talk
Timeframe: The first drill will test immediate response protocols for neutralizing the threat, establishing incident command and unified command, and forming Rescue Task Force Teams.
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Players: Local public safety agencies (Law Enforcement, Fire, and EMS) should play in this exercise; It is also inclusive of state and Federal partners, and dispatch.
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Phase 1: Test initial notification systems and immediate response protocols.
Phase 2: Facilitators will provide a guided discussion of incident command, unified command, and transfer of command.
Phase 3: Guided assignment and formation of Rescue Task Force Teams. |
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Response Drill II
Operations-Based
Timeframe: Carrying over from the decisions made in Drill I at the initial response, Drill II will begin 1-2 hours after the initial incident and focus on special operations teams and their actions.
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Players: May include the same participants and players from Drill I, but Drill II focuses on Special Operations Teams from Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) and Bomb and Arson/EOD Teams.
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Objective 1: Participants will demonstrate coordination with unified command post Tactical Operations Center (TOC).
Objective 2: Drill bomb technician integration with SWAT teams.
Objective 3: Drill interoperable coordination and communications between area SWAT teams. |
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The response drills will require role player participation. Role players will primarily play victims and casualties for Rescue Task Force Teams and/or special operations teams. We are in need of more role players for the Drill I dates on August 1 and August 6, but there is an opportunity for role players on all drill days.
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Response Drill Schedule
Date
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Functional Area
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Location
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| Thursday, August 1, 2019 |
Immediate Response Drill I |
Scott Elementary (IL) |
| Friday, August 2, 2019 |
Special Operations Drill II |
Scott Elementary (IL) |
| Tuesday, August 6, 2019 |
Immediate Response Drill I |
Convention Center (MO) |
| Wednesday, August 7, 2019 |
Special Operations Drill II |
Convention Center (MO) |
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Public Information Functional Exercise
Overview and Feedback
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Participant Feedback from the Workshops
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Over 50 whole community partners attended the exercise from across the region with participants from MO and IL.
On June 12, we hosted a functional exercise (FE) that focused on the coordination of public messaging and information across multiple jurisdictions in response to a CCTA. Participants had the opportunity to learn more about the Joint Information Systems (JIS) methodology and establishment of a Joint Information Center (JIC). During this exercise participants utilized EMSocialSimulation (EMSS) which is an online portal that replicates social media outlets. This gave participants a real life no fault environment to train and work towards more coordinated public messaging.
What additional gaps or challenges were identified that you would like to focus on in future plans, training, and exercises?
- The gaps found were apparent in trying to consolidate information from different departments of the city. The biggest gap or challenge will be finding an appropriate JIC in the case of an emergency.
- Need additional opportunities for PIOs to interact and work through challenging scenarios
- Coordinating public information plans between agencies. Mitigating challenges related to competing agency priorities.
General workshop feedback:
- This exercise was fantastic. I would jump at the opportunity to participate in future one like it and would encourage colleagues to do the same.
- I really appreciated the realism of the platform used. I could definitely see value in using that with PIO and non-PIO agency staff to help improve understanding of messaging needs and challenges.
- This was a well-thought out training. It provided an opportunity for "real-world" practice in a safe environment.
- Thanks so much for hosting this and including school districts.
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MARITIME TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
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Following the River Response Workshops, it was identified that there are several agencies and departments around the region interested in basic training on the water. The United States Coast Guard (USCG) can provide the following training opportunities and others upon request:
- River familiarization and boat ride
- How to get alongside a boat
- Embarkation
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- Review of gear PPE
- What type of equipment to use
- How to get from one boat to another
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If your agency is interested in training, including any not necessarily listed above, please contact Arin Whitemountain at Arin.P.Whitemountain@uscg.mil.
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REGIONAL TRAINING OFFERINGS
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Bomb Scene First Responder
September 27, 2019
HME
August 30, 2019
September 20, 2019
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Bomb Scene First Responder and Homemade Explosives Class
Responding to the scene of a bombing requires special training, as first responders may have to locate and aid survivors, preserve evidence, and look for secondary devices in an extremely chaotic situation. This three-session class is provided by the St. Louis County Police Training Academy. Both classes are post-certified. All emergency responders and personnel are invited to attend.
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July 17-18, 2019
Medical Management of CBRNE Events
July 30-31, 2019
Medical Preparedness & Response from Bombing
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HOPE Coalition - Healthcare Organizations Preparing for Emergencies
Coalition-sponsored training events are being held throughout the region in an effort to increase overall regional readiness for disasters and emergencies of all types.
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Fusion Center and Suspicious Activity Reports
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The St. Louis Fusion Center is a public safety partnership consisting of law enforcement, fire EMS, public health, and emergency management agencies, and private sector. As a regional intelligence center, it provides a multi-jurisdictional, multi-disciplinary approach to the collection, analysis, and dissemination of information used to detect, defend against, or respond to acts of terrorism.
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St. Louis area professionals (such as law enforcement officials, fire/emergency medical personnel, emergency management employees, public health administrators, corporate security, etc.) with a responsibility to detect, defend against, or respond to any acts of terrorism are encouraged to become a liaison through this website.
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To request the full program schedule of events, please contact the Regional Program Coordinator, Althea de Guzman. If you would like to learn more about the St. Louis CCTA Program or how you can be involved, email
althea.deguzman@hagertyconsulting.com or call at (224) 622-3351.
Feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone that you would like to involve in this program. Thank you for your participation and contribution to the St. Louis CCTA Program!
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