Silent Thunder Exercise Series
Overview
The Silent Thunder tabletop exercise (TTX) is a one-day, in-person training event bringing together federal, state, local, and private-sector officials to respond to a site-specific radiological theft scenario. The exercise is conducted in a no-fault, non-evaluated environment to encourage open discussion; however, individual sites/jurisdictions may elect to make their own assessment of the exercise.
Program Sponsors
The Silent Thunder program is sponsored by three partner offices: the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) Office of Radiological Security, NNSA’s Office of Nuclear Incident Preparedness and Collaboration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Counterterrorism Division Weapons of Mass Destruction Operations Section.
Sample Objectives
Each site and jurisdiction identifies the unique objectives that guide the exercise planning process to ensure they are consistent with local priorities within the established scope of the program.
Examples include:
- Discuss the establishment of a unified and coordinated incident management structure that integrates critical local, state, and federal stakeholders, as well as the processes for notification and information exchange between relevant response partners
- Exercise alarm response criteria/procedures in reaction to signals from the Remote Monitoring System, including all internal and additional monitoring processes and procedures
Participation in Silent Thunder Events
These TTXs average between 80-120 participants. Of the participants, 30-40 will sit at the player table, while the others sit at an observer table (though participation is still encouraged). Participants include representatives from the site, state and local police, hospitals, emergency medical services, regulatory authorities, emergency management, and others.
