To support the CDC’s earlier guidance “Population Monitoring in Radiation Emergencies,“ CDC developed the Community Reception Center (CRC) Drill Toolkit. The toolkit provides guidance and multiple templates that any county or jurisdiction can adapt in order to conduct an operations-based CRC exercise. It includes guidance on venue selection, scenario narratives, participants’ handbooks, exercise evaluation guides, and additional exercise resources. The materials within the toolkit are also compatible and compliant with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) guidance. Some of the special features included within the toolkit are: more than 100 different contamination cards for actors simulating affected individuals; demographic and behavioral cards designed to help planners incorporate the needs of special/vulnerable populations in the drill; complete instructions on toolkit use, including detailed guidance on decision-making during the planning meetings and on the selection and use of the Symptomology Cards; and many more.

Jurisdictions that utilize the CRC Drill Toolkit are encouraged to contact CDC at [email protected] to provide feedback and share examples of modified exercise documentation on the NACCHO Toolbox. For more information on sharing your resources on the NACCHO Toolbox, please contact Alex Harris at [email protected]. If you are planning on conducting a full scale CRC exercise, please contact Lauren Finklea at [email protected].