Resilient Constellation Exercise Series (RCES)

(Reprinted courtesy of the WaterISAC)
The WaterISAC has been participating with other private sector organizations and DHS in planning the Resilient Constellation Exercise Series (RCES), a DHS-led effort to help private industry test its ability to respond to the possibility of terrorist attacks. The exercise will also test the ability of DHS to share actionable information with owners and operators.

RCES is a series of exercises, beginning with workshops and tabletop exercises and culminating in the “operational exercise,” which will entail fictional terrorist attacks by domestic and international Islamic violent extremists. The exercise planning team will choose targets, including at least one water or wastewater system, in 3-5 regions of the country. The pre-operational exercises begin this summer, and the operational exercise is tentatively planned for January 2013.

The WaterISAC is participating as planner and player and will also coordinate and facilitate participation by WaterISAC members and others in the water industry who are interested. Michael Arceneaux, the Managing Director for the WaterISAC, encourages all interested parties to get involved. He notes that, “We [WaterISAC] aren’t the exclusive conduit for people to play or otherwise participate in RCES. Anyone interested may also contact the RCES folks at RCES@hq.dhs.gov or Alyssa Marlow, Readiness Branch Exercise Manager at alyssa.marlow@.dhs.gov.