"The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO), Operations Support Directorate is responsible for establishing and operating a real-time situational awareness and support capability. In this capacity, the Exercise Program provides exercise support as a validation instrument to test and evaluate the radiological/nuclear (RN) detection, deterrence, prevention, reporting, vulnerability reduction, and capabilities in a risk-free environment. The utilization of these services assist in validating that the equipment is properly employed and the alarm adjudication process is in accordance with federal, state, and local alarm adjudication protocols and appropriate notifications are escalated to the proper agencies at the national and international level, as appropriate. The Exercise Program assists in the development and implementation of improvement plans and protocols, as well as the design, development, and conduct of radiological/nuclear prevention exercises for state and local entities, in compliance with the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) methodology. DNDO exercise support is available to states and designated Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) jurisdictions to help develop, test, and improve their radiological/nuclear prevention and detection capabilities". (DHS, DNDO Exercises, 2007)