Customer Service Collections for DHS - Batch B (FEMA)

Exercise Experience Survey FAQs

1. 

   1. OMB 1601-0029

   2. Exp. 12/31/2026

   Exercise Experience Survey - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

   1. Overview

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Exercise Division (NED), in partnership with the Resilience Evaluation and Analysis Division (READ), is conducting an evaluation of exercises conducted at the state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) levels. FEMA has contracted with The Cadmus Group and Fors Marsh, two independent research firms, to conduct a survey of SLTT exercise planners on behalf of NED to better understand their experience with NED exercise support and with implementing FEMA’s Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) guidance. The following are frequently asked questions regarding the survey:

1. Why is this survey being conducted?

• This survey is being conducted to better understand exercise planners’ experience with receiving NED support and how receiving support from NED may affect the quality of an exercise. This survey is also being conducted to better understand exercise planners’ experience with implementing FEMA’s HSEEP guidance.

1. Why should I participate?

• Your participation in this survey will help FEMA better understand how exercise planners view exercise support and use HSEEP guidance to plan and conduct exercises.

1. Will my answers affect my employer or me negatively?

• No, this evaluation is not an audit of you or your employer’s exercise planning or conduct. This is an exploratory evaluation to better understand exercise planners’ experience with receiving NED support and implementing FEMA’s HSEEP guidance.

1. Do I have to answer all questions?

• No, it is not necessary to answer every question. Your participation in this study is completely voluntary. This means that you are free to withdraw from this survey at any time. There is no penalty to you if you choose not to respond.

1. Can I save my answers and return to the survey later?

• Yes, if you save the URL that was provided in the initial email that you received, you can use it to return to the survey and continue where you leave off. Should you require any assistance, please contact the contract team’s Help Desk at [email protected].

1. Will my answers be kept private?

• Responses will remain private to the extent allowable by law. None of the information you provide will be used to contact you, or will be used in future research or distributed to another investigator for future studies. You will not be identified even if the results of this study are published.

1. Why was I contacted to respond to the survey? I don’t want to be contacted for this survey.

• You are receiving a request to participate in this survey because NED has identified you as an exercise planner. If you wish to withdraw your answers, please notify the survey Help Desk by sending an email to the contract team’s help desk at [email protected]. You may also contact this email with other questions or concerns, such as technical issues you may experience.

1. What are the costs and benefits of participating?

• There is no cost to you for participating in this study. This study is for research purposes only and will help FEMA better understand the experiences and satisfaction of individuals who receive exercise support from NED. There is no direct benefit to you for taking part in this study (i.e., you will not be compensated for taking the survey). Your input will assist FEMA in better addressing challenges and needs of exercise planners when implementing exercises in support of their communities.

1. Will I see the results of the survey?

• Yes, survey responses will be combined and group statistics will be included in a final report that will be shared with SLTT exercise planners.

PRA Statement:
DHS will use the information to improve exercise implementation support.  This is a voluntary collection.  It is estimated that it will take no more than 15 minutes to complete this form.  An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number.  The control number assigned to this collection is OMB 1601-0029, which expires 12/31/2026.  Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information including suggestions for reducing this burden to DHS/FEMA, [email protected].  Attn: PRA 1601-0029 Exercise Experience Survey. 

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