About this Event
Rev 20250119
*GLOSSARY: Definitions of Terms, Acronyms, Initialisms at the end of this page.
OVERVIEW
TICKETING NOTE: Please sign up as individuals, not as a group, because role assignment requires each volunteer to fill out the Order Form individually.
DCA APEX2025 is the 2025 version of National Airport's, FAA required, every third year, major exercise to demonstrate, test, and refine emergency procedures during a simulated mass casualty incident (MCI). Volunteers play many roles, including airline passengers/survivors, friends/family, admin support, moulage, controllers/safety officers, and more. Volunteers are coordinated by the CERT Task Force to Support DCA APEX2025. This Task Force is under the purview of Arlington CERT, and invites members of all regional and other CERTs, as well as other volunteers. Everyone must belong to a known organization OR have a known individual who can vouch for him/her for the exercise. Individual volunteer assignments will be based on volunteer preferences to the extent possible, and arrival times/locations will be assigned in advance.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
BASICS. The CERT Support to DCA APEX2025 Task Force coordinates volunteer support for the DCA* airport emergency exercise on Saturday, 5 April 2025, 5:30AM – 1:00PM.
ALTERNATE DATE. Sunday, 6 April 2025.
WHERE. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Possible remote or work-from-home sites.
CHECK IN AND OUT LOCATION. On-site check-in and check-out will be at Hangar 7, located close to 3161 Thomas Avenue, Arlington VA 22202, between the “US Coast Guard Air Station Washington” at DCA and “Signature Flight Support - DCA.” “3161 Thomas Avenue” works with Google Maps for navigation to Hangar 7. There is no actual building at the address of 3161 Thomas Avenue.
PARKING. Car-pooling is encouraged. Parking details will be forwarded separately.
VOLUNTEER ROLES. Victim Actors, Survivors, VA211 callers, Friends and Families of Passengers, Moulage Artists & Actor Briefers, Admin Support Staff, Controllers/Safety Officers, and others. In some cases, volunteers may be eligible and opt for more than one role. Volunteers will be able to indicate their order of preference in the Order Form as part of the registration process. Some people will not get their top preferences.
VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS.
1. COMMITMENT TO SAFETY. Participants must commit to safety during the exercise.
2. PERSONNEL ACCOUNTABILITY. All volunteers must commit to sign in, sign out, and other personnel accountability protocols in order to ensure 100% personal accountability.
3. VETTING. All participants will be vetted to verify that the participant is in good standing with their CERT or other organization. Friends and family members of MWAA or other organizations must provide a reference for vetting purposes.
4. AGE. Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age by 5 April 2025.
5. CLOTHING. All volunteers are responsible for providing their own clothing, with the understanding that all items worn, including hats, shoes, and other fabric garments, might be damaged during the exercise. Role players that agree to the application of realistic mock injuries (moulage), will likely have their clothing torn and stained. Other role players might have their clothing torn or stained. This does not apply to eyeglasses, which participants should safeguard carefully. A secure baggage check area will be available for storing changes of clothing.
6. TRANSPORTATION DURING THE EXERCISE. Volunteers must be prepared to be transported to real or simulated medical or other facilities on and off of the airport, or other locations. Currently, off airport transportation is not being planned, but it could happen.
7. MOULAGE OR NOT. Volunteers must indicate during signup if they prefer to NOT be moulaged. Moulage is makeup to simulate injuries and can be horrifically realistic. All actors will be briefed on behaviors consistent with the level and types of injury desired and the desired behaviors for the victim actor. First Responders will triage using normal emergency medical procedures, which may include cutting off of clothing. Other airport staff may be cued to support the emergency operations.
8. NON-MOULAGE ROLES. Other role players may be uninjured survivors, or may simulate family members both onsite and offsite inquiring about loved ones.
9. LIMITED ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY NEEDED. A small number of role players are needed who have very limited English proficiency and must be fully fluent in a foreign language.
10. BI-LINGUAL FLUENCY NEEDED. Some role players are needed who are completely fluent in both a non-English language and English.
11. DEAF VOLUNTEERS AND ASL INTERPRETERS. Two to four role players who have essentially total deafness. We will also need essentially the same number of ASL interpreters to serve as Controllers/Safety Officers.
12. BLIND VOLUNTEERS. Two to four role players who are totally blind, although black/white differentiation is acceptable. No Seeing Eye or other Service Dogs can be used.
13. PLAY BY THE BOOK. Role players must play that role as specified “on the card” and as briefed. MSU (Making Stuff Up) inconsistent with the “card” can inject erroneous learning points and must be avoided by role players.
14. MOULAGE ARTISTS & ACTOR BRIEFERS. Some volunteers will serve as Moulage Artists & Actor Briefers, and some will also double in other roles.
15. MOULAGE TEAM TRAINING. Moulage Team Training - Dates TBD. Moulage Team Leadership will plan and conduct Moulage Artist and Actor Briefer Training, January to April for Moulage Artists & Actor Briefers. Trained Moulage Artists & Actor Briefers from other CERTs or organizations who would like to volunteer are gratefully accepted.
16. MOULAGE REMOVAL. All moulage must be removed by the Moulage Team prior to departure.
17. ADMIN SUPPORT TEAM. The Admin Support Team will check volunteers in and out, run a bag check area, assist with Controller/Safety Officer functions, and do other, essential admin & support tasks. Controllers/Safety Officers may be assigned at any point where a concern for volunteer safety exists.
18. REMAIN FLEXIBLE. We will be on the field close to an hour before the exercise takes place. There will be unforeseen delays, hurry ups, changes, etc. There will be a few portapotties on the field available to the victim actors, but possibly not convenient. Although snacks should be available before going to the field, and lunch should be served closer to noon, volunteers should be aware of and maintain the stability of their own blood sugar situation.
19. GENERAL RELEASE. After registering, the confirmation email sent to each volunteer will include directions on how to download the General Release, which is both a Liability Waiver and a Photography/Imagery Release.
20. VOLUNTEER PHOTOGRAPHY.
A. PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE HANGAR. All participants are allowed to photograph themselves and others in the hangar. Courtesy dictates that anyone in your photos should be asked for their permission. Any sensitive areas or situations will be announced to prohibit photography.
B. PHOTOGRAPHY OUTSIDE THE HANGAR PROHIBITED. VOLUNTEERS ARE NOT PERMITTED TAKE PHOTOS OF ANY PERSON, AREA, OR OPERATION OUTSIDE OF THE HANGAR. MWAA and the CERT Task Force will have pre-designated professional photographers and photographs will be made available to the participants via website.
SCHEDULING AND LOCATION NOTE
1. ARRIVAL TIMES AND LOCATIONS. Due to the size and complexity of this exercise, individual arrival times will be scheduled by the CERT Task Force. Strict adherence to the schedule will be necessary to accomplish a great deal in a short time. On 5 April 2025, Victim Actors will be scheduled to arrive between 0530 and 0745. The day will finish for most volunteers about Noon, but schedules must be flexible, as some volunteers will work until 1PM or later.
2. ATTENDANCE NOTE. IF you sign up, but later find out that you CANNOT ATTEND, PLEASE NOTIFY US AS SOON AS YOU KNOW. “NO SHOW” people who sign up but don’t show up and give no notice cause disruption. Every volunteer will be scheduled for a specific arrival time.
3. RAIN OR SHINE. This exercise will take place rain or shine. We need your commitment to attend, regardless of the weather. You could be outside in the elements for an extended period of time, so please plan for that. The Alternate Date is 6 April 2025.
4. PERSONAL HEALTH. If you are ill with a cold or flu or COVID or anything, cancel at the absolutely earliest possible moment, please. If you wake up on Exercise Day feeling crummy, email [email protected] (TEXT 703-967-4291) immediately. Don’t come and spread your germs.
STRESS NOTES.
1. INFORMED CONSENT. Before signing up, it is essential to know that participating in emergency response exercises such as APEX2025 can be emotionally and physically traumatic. The sights and sounds can be distressing. Volunteers accept that they may need to seek help.
2. POST EXERCISE STRESS COUNSELOR AVAILABLE. If you experience personal stress due to the exercise, we have a volunteer who is a licensed professional counselor, who can help you handle the stress. Contact info on request. [email protected] TEXT 703-967-4291
3. HAZARDOUS ENVIRONMENT. Although all hands are dedicated to conducting this exercise safely, Murphy’s Law applies. All participants must be aware that unforeseen things may go wrong and adjustments may have to be made.
4. WITHDRAW IF NEEDED. Any participant who starts to feel that they should not continue to participate should declare, “REAL WORLD EMERGENCY.” And ask to be removed from the exercise.
*GLOSSARY: Definitions of Terms, Acronyms, Initialisms
APEX = AirPort EXercise
ASL = American Sign Language
CERT = Community Emergency Response Team
DCA = Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (aka “Washington National Airport” and "National Airport")
MCI = Mass Casualty Incident
Moulage = Make-up of persons or dummies to look like injuries.
MWAA = Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. Operates both DCA and IAD. Headquartered in Arlington, VA.
PEARLS NOT REQUIRED – Self Explanatory
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
3161 Thomas Ave, 3161 Thomas Avenue, Arlington, United States
USD 0.00
