Running exercises (scenario based training) on a regular basis is an important part of emergency management. Exercises allow us to test, practice and explore what we will do before, during and after a disaster occurs.
When designing exercises we should be aiming to create an experience that supports people to work in a way that is:
- Integrated
- Holistic
- Contextualised
- Scalable and adaptable.
Historically exercises have focused heavily on the response phase, but in recent years there has been an increasing awareness of how importance it is to include recovery into the exercise plan. Planning for and exercising recovery is just as important as response. Recovery is a large and long lasting part of the EM continuum – it needs dedicated resources and time too!
To support us in doing this, we can turn to the AIDR Recovery exercising toolkit. This kit can expand our thinking beyond the initial response and early relief efforts, to include a more in-depth exploration of how we transition to recovery, and support communities in their longer term recovery.
By incorporating all the phases of emergency management into our exercising, we can engage with a wider group of stakeholders and partners, build understanding across different teams/organisations and strengthen collaborative efforts.
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