An often overlooked segment of government provided emergency planners with demonstrated lessons at a table-top exercise on July 10^th at the Chesapeake Conference Center.

Local and regional jails participated in their third and final table-top exercise this year, filling a conference room with over 100 representatives from sheriff’s offices, nine different jail systems, local emergency managers,  and subject matter experts from the Department of Corrections, Virginia State Police, Department of Health, Virginia Dept. of Emergency Management and others.  To pull this event off, the Hampton Roads Inmate Evacuation Committee (HREIC)  planned the exercise scenario to stretch the limits of each jail system’s plans and autonomy when presented with a catastrophic hurricane scenario.  The exercise was funded by a Department of Homeland Security grant managed by the HRPDC and coordinated by CRA, Inc.

This exercise built upon results from two separate sub regional exercises; the first occurred on at the HRPDC Regional Board Room on May 9^th for Southside jails and the second on May 21^st for Peninsula jails at the Newport News Police Academy.  This series of exercises forged important relationships among participants and gave each jail corrective actions or recommendations to improve their plans and capabilities should a disaster strike.

Exercise for the Peninsula Jails, Newport News Police Academy

Southside Jails Exercise, HRPDC Regional Board Room

Combined Regional Jail Exercise, Chesapeake Conference Center