Tabletop exercises are discussion-based sessions where team members meet in an informal classroom setting to discuss their roles during an emergency and responses to a particular crisis. Legacy Protective facilitators guide participants through a discussion of one or more scenarios. The duration of a tabletop exercise depends on the audience, the topic being exercised, and the exercise objectives. Many tabletop exercises are conducted in a few hours, so they are cost-effective tools to validate plans and capabilities.

Exercises are an excellent method to:

• Evaluate the preparedness program.
• Identify planning and procedural deficiencies.
• Test or validate recently changed procedures or plans.
• Clarify roles and responsibilities.
• Obtain participant feedback and recommendations for program improvement.
• Measure improvement compared to performance objectives.
• Improve coordination between internal and external teams, organizations, and entities.
• Validate training and education.
• Increase awareness and understanding of hazards and the potential impacts of hazards.
• Assess the capabilities of existing resources and identify needed resources.