Learning to Swim: A Large Dam Breach & Incident Command System (ICS) Exercise for Masters and Doctoral Public Health Students

Over 100 students, faculty, staff, and community partners participated in the University at Albany School of Public Health's first full-scale emergency response exercise titled “Learning to Swim: Dam Breach & Incident Command System Exercise for School of Public Health Students”. The goal was to provide students with an opportunity to practice the skills that are now required of all public health professionals, such as communications, management, and decision-making The disaster scenario used for the exercise included a dam breach and release of billions of gallons of water affecting communities down stream. Participating first year MPH students filled emergency response roles organized within the Incident Command System. Their main tasks were to prepare the school to act as a shelter and reception center, operate a hotline, brief the news media, in addition to other service and support activities. DrPH and preventive medicine residents participated in the exercise by filling key supervisory roles and planning the tabletop exercise. In addition to School of public health students, community volunteers, community public health partners, student actors, and colleagues from the network of Centers for Public Health Preparedness also volunteered. Overall the students found the exercise both informative and requiring much effort. The exercise design and evaluation team learned many lessons about designing, operating and potentially for institutionalizing such exercises in schools of public health.