ACA Participation in Terror Simulation A Success According to Red Cross

ACA recently participated in a simulated terrorism response exercise developed by the Department of Homeland Security and the Red Cross. The TOPOFF 4 ("TOP OFFicials") exercise simulated a "dirty bomb" going off in Mesa, Arizona, Portland, Oregon and on Guam.

This is the first time that the Red Cross has had mental health counseling as the largest element of its service delivery strategy, and the subsequent success prompted the Red Cross to re-draw the boundaries of service delivery beyond the affected areas.

The simulation allowed for situational awareness in real time, using nationwide data, and provided a realistic simulation for resource deployment. Robin Yin, MSW, LISW - Manager of Disaster Health and Mental Health at the Red Cross - said three major developments came from the latest TOPOFF exercise:

1. Red Cross is training lay relief operation workers in psychological first aid ala a CPR model; this will allow ACA and other organizations to focus on high risk cases and crisis intervention,
2. The "Facing Fear" curriculum for kids is being extended for adults with a mock group of SMEs for training relief operation, and
3. The PsySTART Mental Health Triage system was used with simulated victims in Portland, OR. ACA's simulated response involved deployment of 500 counselors to the stricken sites. ACA is a member of the Red Cross PEER (Partners for Effective Emergency Response) program and represents the counseling profession.

For more information about TOPOFF, visit http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/press_release_0932.shtm.