Exercise development resources
Use these resources to develop and conduct all types of exercises, from seminars to full-scale exercises.
FEMA Preparedness toolkit
FEMA’s Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) provides a set of guiding principles for exercise and evaluation programs, as well as a common approach to exercise program management, design and development, conduct, evaluation, and improvement planning. Learn more on the FEMA HSEEP website.
FEMA’s Preparedness toolkit has information, resources, and templates available for all types of exercises.
- Design and development: includes planning meeting templates, situation manual templates, and master scenario events list (MSEL) templates
- Evaluation: includes exercise evaluation guide (EEG) templates
- Improvement planning: includes after action report (AAR) templates
Exercise training
The following trainings are available from FEMA, CDPHE, and the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to support exercise skill development.
- CDPHE — Introduction to the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP)
- CDPHE — Introduction to Exercises for ESF#8 Partners
- FEMA — IS-120.C: An Introduction to Exercises
- FEMA — IS-130.A: How to be an Exercise Evaluator
- L0146 HSEEP Course: in person, 16-hour training
- Find the most current information about L0146 offerings on the DHSEM training dashboard.
- FEMA — HSEEP Training Videos
- FEMA's National Exercise Division (NED) developed a series of short videos that provide a brief overview of topics related to the design, development, conduct, and evaluation of exercises.
- FEMA — Virtual Exercise Best Practice
- FEMA — Safe Exercise Best Practice
Exercise development templates
- Situation manual — HSEEP template (doc)
- Master scenario events list — HSEEP template (spreadsheet)
- Exercise evaluation guide (EEG) — HSEEP template (document)
- CDPHE discussion based exercise EEGs — CDPHE template (Google Drive folder)
- Facilitator evaluation handbook — HSEEP template (document)
- Facilitator guide — HSEEP template (document)
- Discussion-based player handout placemat — HSEEP template (document)
- Weapons safety policy — HSEEP template (document)
- Participant feedback form — HSEEP template (document)
- After action report/improvement plan — HSEEP template (document)