Emergency Preparedness Drills and Exercises Cont.
Maryland Statewide School-Based Tabletop Exercise The MCSS Statewide Tabletop Exercise (TTX) is a new initiative successfully launched in 2024 to enhance the coordination of local emergency response efforts. The initiative is a collaborative effort between LEAs, MCSS, MSDE, and MDOD. Three statewide exercises were facilitated in 2024: May and October events for public school systems, and an August event for Maryland nonpublic special education schools. The 2024 Statewide exercises presented three different all-hazard simulations testing multiple standard response protocols and operational procedures: an active shooter event, an emergency weather event, and an evacuation event leading to reunification. The purpose of the statewide tabletop exercise is to serve as a means by which schools and systems can engage their local partners to practice and refine emergency response strategies through the simulation of a real-time scenario. LEAs’ responses and discussions during the exercise allow MCSS and MSDE to identify areas of strengths and gaps across the state. This information is used by MCSS to adapt resources and trainings to enhance school, system, and state-level emergency preparedness and response. The simulation of real-time scenarios for exercises immerse educational personnel, and local partners in relevant situations testing their plans and core capabilities. These exercises allow teams to practice responses that align with the complex realities they might face in an actual crisis.
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