This tabletop exercise event is hosted by the Department of Homeland Security’s (U.S. DHS) Office of Health Security in partnership with Sandia National Laboratories and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. It serves as an opportunity to pilot newly developed health, food, and agriculture resilience exercise materials and a mechanism to strengthen partnerships amongst stakeholders. Feedback on the experience will assist the DHS Office of Health Security refine exercise materials to serve as a climate extremes planning and preparedness resource for health, food, and agricultural response partners. The exercise will be augmented by presentations on relevant environmental impact topic areas.
- Date: February 25 – 26, 2025
- Time: 9:00 – 3:00 pm CT (Feb 25) and 9:00 – 12:00 pm CT (Feb 26)
- Location: Mille Lacs Band Government Center, 43408 Oodena Drive, Onamia, MN 56359
- Exercise Structure:
- Module 1: Extreme Heat
- Spring and summer have seen frequent extreme heat, with record temperatures causing harm to humans, animals, and plants.
- Module 2: Exceptional Drought
- Record low snow packs and a shortened rainy season have intensified drought conditions, reducing agricultural productivity and increasing fire frequency and intensity.
- Module 3: Excessive Rainfall
- Flooding events are more frequent and intense due to excessive rainfall, posing significant risks to communities, infrastructure, and ecosystems.
- Module 4: Damaging Cold
- Fall and spring now experience wild temperature swings, with extreme cold events and severe winter storms disrupting planting and harvesting cycles.