PTF Jamaica Mass Rescue Operation Exercise

2016 After Action Report

“Virtual badge is an invaluable tool for incident command, control and coordination, instantly providing and recording true data to facilitate crucial decision-making in an emergency response environment”.

Rear Admiral Peter Brady, Director General, Maritime Authority of Jamaica

The Seventh U.S. Coast Guard District Contingency Preparedness branch sponsored and conducted the Jamaica Mass Rescue Operations exercise from April 3rd through April 9th, 2016. The Pathfinders Task Force (PTF) was contracted by the Jamaica Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) to provide Controller/Evaluator personnel to support exercise operations. PTF was also responsible for the documentation of exercise operations and providing ODPEM with real-time situational awareness during the exercise.

Jamaica Constabulary Force Marine Unit using Virtual Badge

The objective of the 2016 Jamaica Mass Rescue Operation (MRO) Exercise was to improve the notification and communications process identified in the Jamaica National Mass Rescue Operations Plan with specific ports and airports to clarify and improve the process. Four ports and two airports spread across Jamaica participated in the exercise, with several locations performing exercise operations simultaneously.

PTF objectives during the 2016 Jamaica MRO Exercise were as follows:

• Support the U.S. Coast Guard in conducting the Mass Rescue Operations Exercise
• Document exercise operations using the Virtual Badge software
• Manage simultaneous exercise operations spread across 6 distinct locations in Jamaica
• Provide ODPEM with real-time situational awareness for exercise operations and summarize daily activity in situation reports

Major Strengths

The major strengths identified for the PTF deployment to support the 2016 Jamaica Mass Rescue Operations Exercise are as follows:

• PTF was able to manage simultaneous exercise operations for 6 distinct locations spread across Jamaica during the 2016 MRO Exercise
• Virtual Badge provided the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management with an unprecedented level of situational awareness during exercise operations
• Using Virtual Badge to replace paper documentation for exercise operations greatly improved the timeliness of reporting critical information
• Purchasing local Digicel SIM Cards for the PTF phones was invaluable as it provided ODPEM with a real-time view of remote exercise operations, as well as enabling communication for PTF personnel spread across the country.
• Portable projectors carried by the PTF team were very useful in managing briefings for Jamaican government personnel
• Radio communications were established on U.S. Coast Guard Auxillary frequencies and contact was made with USCG personnel across the United States using high frequency technology.
• Data usage on the Digicel network for Virtual Badge use during exercise operations, including field photos and live tracking did not exceed 15mb/phone/day due to the advancement of compression technology in the software.

Virtual Badge Control Center during 2016 Jamaica MRO Exercise

Please download the PTF AAR at: www.disastersolutions.cc/history

For more information about the Pathfinders Task Force deployment to the 2016 Jamaica Mass Rescue Operations Exercise, please contact Matthew Campbell.

Matthew Campbell

Pathfinders Task Force

(561) 329–0068

matt@pathfinders.cc

For more information about the Virtual Badge software, please visit www.virtualbadge.com