Because emergencies and disasters can strike at anytime, local government is obligated to respond initially. The government’s capacity at any level to protect its citizens depends directly upon the abilities of large numbers of organizations, individuals, and jurisdictions to act effectively in emergency situations. The four phases of emergency management are mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. The goal of emergency management exercises is to improve operational readiness. Preparation and practice will enhance the ability of those responsible for response and recovery to save lives, property, and the environment. Exercise activities can reveal planning weaknesses, improve coordination, clarify roles and responsibilities, and develop proficiency and confidence in participants. Exercise activities include orientation, drill, tabletop exercise, functional exercise, and full-scale exercise. The three exercise phases are before the exercise (designing, organizing), during the exercise (preparing facility, briefing participants), and after the exercise (assessing, evaluating). The requirements for an exercise activity include participants, controllers, simulators, and evaluators. The eight steps of exercise design are needs assessment, defining scope, statement of purpose, objectives, narrative, major and detailed events, expected actions, and messages. Exercise enhancements are those items that can add realism to an exercise, such as communication devices and equipment and props. Exercise evaluation is the act of observing and recording exercise activity or conduct, by comparing the behavior or activity against the exercise objectives while noting strengths and weaknesses. 7 appendices