2024 Keystone 6 National Mass Care Exercise Full-Scale Exercise After-Action Report/Improvement Plan

Executive Summary: The 2024 Keystone 6 National Mass Care Exercise, conducted from May 18-23, 2024, at Shippensburg University, was a comprehensive Functional Exercise focused on Mass Care and Emergency Assistance. The exercise aimed to enhance the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s response and recovery capabilities by evaluating critical aspects of mass care services, operational communication, operational coordination, planning, and public information and warning. Sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (PADHS) and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA), the exercise involved numerous stakeholders, including nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), local, state and federal partners. The exercise underscored the importance of operational coordination and mass care services, ensuring a cohesive and efficient response. The lessons learned and areas for improvement identified during the exercise will be instrumental in refining the Commonwealth’s mass care strategies and enhancing overall preparedness for future emergencies

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ANNOUNCEMENT

The National Mass Care Strategy provides a unified approach to the delivery of mass care services by establishing common goals, fostering inclusive collaborative planning and identifying resource needs to build the national mass care capacity engaging the whole community including under-served and vulnerable populations. The National Mass Care Strategy focuses on:

Sheltering

The operation of emergency shelters helps communities provide a safe and secure place for individuals and families to stay before, during, and/or after a disaster.

Feeding

The Feeding function provides meals, snacks, and beverages to individuals and families in communities impacted by man-made and natural disasters, ranging from single-family fire to large scale events, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and floods.

Distribution of Emergency Supplies

Bulk Distribution workers provide items essential to basic survival, health, and sanitation as quickly and equitably as possible to individuals affected by a disaster. The items provided meet the specific, urgent needs of the disaster-affected community.

Reunification Support

The reunification function provides human and technological resources to reconnect individuals as quickly as possible following a disaster or incident.

Mass Evacuee Support

The provision of life-sustaining services and resources to disaster survivors/evacuees and their Household Pets, Service Animals, and Assistance Animals (HPSA) during mass evacuation incidents.

Household Pets, Service Animals and Assistance Animals

The coordination and support for the rescue, transportation, shelter, reunification, essential needs, and care of Household Pets, Service Animals, and Assistance Animals (HPSA) during preparedness and response and recovery operations.

Accessibility and Inclusive Resources

The provision of services and resources to people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs.

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Whole Community Partners

Mass Care as an Open System

Provides recommended courses of action for the delivery of improved mass care service to the nation. The five strategic goals seek to move the nation in a direction that increases the capabilities and capacities of the hole Community across the range and scale of disasters to which this country is vulnerable. This document was developed after obtaining individual input from more than 50 agencies and organizations involved in mass care operations. The National Mass Care Strategy does not contain consensus advice or recommendations from these agencies or organizations on federal policies or regulations.

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Five Interrelated Strategic Goals

Build Scalability into Service Delivery • Create the Opportunity for Improved Coordination & Participation • Engage the Whole Community • Standardize the Mass Care Practices • Strengthen & Unify Mass Care Legal & Policy Foundations