VZCZCXRO4294
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB
DE RUEHHI #1598/01 1800639
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 290639Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2559
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 1427
RUEHZS/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 2945
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 5534
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0935
RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 0687
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 0244
RUEHRO/USMISSION UN ROME
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 1384
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC
RUEHRC/USDA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC//USDP/ISA/AP//
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHINGTON DC//J2/J3/J5//
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC//DHO-3//
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI//J00/J2/J3/J5//
RHEFAFM/DIRAFMIC FT DETRICK MD//MA-1A//

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 001598 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR G, CA/OCS/ACS/EAP, EAP/EX, EAP/MLS, EAP/EP, INR, OES/STC 
(PBATES), OES/IHA (DSINGER AND NCOMELLA), AND MED 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR ANE AND GH (DCARROLL, SCLEMENTS AND 
PCHAPLIN) 
STATE PASS TO USTR (EBRYAN) 
STATE PASS TO HHS/OGHA (WSTIEGER, EELVANDER AND ABHAT) 
USDA PASS TO APHIS 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISA/AP (LSTERN) 
BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC, USAID (MFRIEDMAN, JMACARTHUR AND MBRADY) 
ROME FOR FAO 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO KFLU AMED AMGT CASC EAGR PINR SOCI VM
SUBJECT: MISSION VIETNAM CONDUCTS AI TABLETOP EXERCISE 
 
 
HANOI 00001598  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
REF: HANOI 727 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY.  On June 7, selected members of the Mission Avian 
Influenza Working Group (AIWG) in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City 
participated in a table top exercise responding to an avian 
influenza pandemic scenario.  The exercise, which was conducted via 
digital video conference, was designed specifically to identify gaps 
in the Mission's tripwires and plans for ordered departure or 
sheltering in place.  The exercise was viewed by participants as a 
valuable preparedness tool and something to be repeated within the 
next six months.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On June 7, selected members of the Mission Avian Influenza 
Working Group (AIWG) in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City participated in a 
table top exercise responding to an avian influenza pandemic 
scenario.  The meeting was chaired by the DCM and included section 
heads and representatives from CONS, MED, MGT, RSO, GSO, PAO, DAO, 
JPAC and HHS.  The AIWG members in HCMC were led by the DPO and 
included staff of CONS, MED, RSO, MGT, IPO, PAS, ECON and POL.  The 
MEDOff and Health Attach designed the tabletop scenario.  The 
Health Attach served as facilitator and observers and note-takers 
in both Hanoi and HCMC were assigned. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The exercise, which was conducted via digital video 
conference (DVG), was designed specifically to identify gaps in the 
Mission's tripwires (reftel) and plans for ordered departure or 
sheltering in place.  The scenario, which involved an outbreak that 
became increasingly more complex, played out over a seven-day 
period.  What began as human-to-human clusters in Indonesia and 
Thailand became 15-20 confirmed cases in HCMC, while in Hanoi, 
Embassy families became sick after exposure to a child who had 
exposed others at school.  With phone calls from concerned AmCits 
flooding the CONS Section, shelter in place ordered by the Chief of 
Mission and disorder on the streets as hospital, pharmacies and 
public services shut down, the teams in Hanoi and HCMC discussed how 
each section would respond and identified gaps that would require 
further investigation following the exercise. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The AIWG identified several issues that require further 
investigation, including: Tamiflu prophylaxis protocol (i.e. who 
receives it, how it is administered) and hand washing/N95 facemask 
training for guard force; relocating the CONS section and how to 
handle remotely; the value of screening visitors and staff entering 
facilities when people may be asymptomatic carriers; the need to 
revisit the drawdown list of "essential staff" as the consular, 
medical care and reporting needs, from a human resource perspective, 
did not seem to match the levels of the minimal staffing list; when 
HCMC staff will congregate-in-place versus segregate-in-place; 
status of evacuated JPAC facility and possible need for an MOU; 
consider how to better incorporate Locally Employed Staff in both 
exercises and real scenarios (i.e. develop mechanism for operation); 
how untrained staff handle, store and possibly bury deceased; how to 
organize memorial services for staff when a segregated 
shelter-in-place has been ordered; liability for volunteers 
supporting the MED unit (i.e. good Samaritans); how the Mission fits 
within the Government of Vietnam's (GVN) response plans (e.g., 
ensuring mobile staff can move freely during curfews); and 
developing a "skills bank" list for all staff, especially newcomers 
(e.g., first aid and social work/therapy skills). 
 
 
HANOI 00001598  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The exercise was viewed by most participants as a valuable 
preparedness tool and something to be repeated within the next six 
months.  (NOTE: Both HCMC and Hanoi are currently experiencing 
increased occurrences of human influenza; the flu season in Vietnam 
is May-August. END NOTE).  The ESTHOff noted four observations at 
the conclusion of the exercise: 
-- the DVG tabletop exercise "played out" well, with all staff 
participating, groups coming to consensus easily and no debilitating 
technical problems; 
-- staffing needs during a full pandemic scenario do not match the 
reduced and minimized staffing levels as per the tripwires, 
especially if key personnel become sick; 
-- communications systems, especially for mobile units and offsite 
MED and CONS sections should be further considered in the event of a 
rapid decline of public service availability; 
-- morale in a tripwire five scenario should be addressed, 
especially for staff working overtime, under extreme hardship and 
distracted by the health of their families and loved ones. 
 
Marine