Training exercises are an important tool in crisis management, as they can assist in a multitude of tasks, such as planning pre-crisis resource requirements and allocation, response planning and help ...train emergency personnel for actual crises. To be effective, the exercises have to utilize well constructed scenarios and be able to replicate certain characteristics of a crisis situation. In this paper, we propose a conceptual mathematical modeling approach for the automated generation of scenarios for disaster exercises via certain combinatorial sequence structures. The derived scenarios within an exercise collectively fulfill different notions of combinatorial sequence coverage, thereby providing the means to test existing response strategies for deficiencies as well as to train emergency personnel for their ability to handle different arrangements of events. This guaranteed diversity by construction can be used as a basis to obtain quantitative assurance statements when these scenarios have been successfully mastered by participants in exercises. We illustrate our proposed approach utilizing two different combinatorial structures for two example disasters.
It is difficult to consider in advance the optimal response of disaster. Therefore, in order to minimize the damage, it is necessary to resourceful response in the event of disaster. In this study, ...we developed a practice system, which was mainly the evacuation guidance by municipal staff at the time of flood disasters. This system has been developed based on the simulator to express situation at the time of flood. Therefore, it is possible to experience the disaster response by various scenarios. Addition, this system can represent activity by multiple administrative agencies. Furthermore, this system is able to specifically evaluate the results of disaster response on a scale of casualty.
Crisis management exercises sometimes produce weak or vague learning results with very limited applicability. This paper addresses these problems by developing a theoretical framework on learning ...from crisis management exercises. The framework focuses on necessary requirements and beneficial factors for the conceptual learning of individuals from discussion-based exercises. The variation theory of learning was identified in the literature. According to this theory, a learner's capability stems from his or her ability to discern relevant situational aspects and the resulting potential for simultaneous awareness of and acting upon them. The central assumption of the framework is that learners are required to experience variation to achieve conceptual learning. The framework connects learning aspects of scenarios and discussions to the potential for improvement of the individual's capabilities. Based on the framework we suggest that exercise scenarios should be represented as a set of parameters, and that variation of the parameter set and the parameter values becomes the central theme of the exercise activity. Thinking in terms of parameters emphasizes variation and invariance before, during and after an exercise session, thus supporting learning. The proposed framework can be used to understand and manage discussion-based crisis exercises from a conceptual learning perspective.
Purpose
– Supporting and communicating with citizens is a vital part of societal crisis management. Training exercises may offer an opportunity to develop capabilities among managers in this regard. ...The purpose of this paper is to examine this potential in an analysis of how citizens were portrayed and perceived by participants in a major crisis management exercise.
Design/methodology/approach
– Observation, document analysis and short interviews during the exercise were used as data collection methods. Data were subjected to thematic analysis to capture core themes in relation to the research aim.
Findings
– Patterns in how citizens’ reactions were portrayed in the exercise were identified to form a citizen behaviour typology. Observations during the exercise also demonstrated some of the challenges in incorporating the citizen perspective. However, findings regarding the perception of the citizen perspective also demonstrate the ability of exercise participants to meet and respond to public behaviours with respect and seriousness.
Originality/value
– Variation is an important condition for learning in exercises, and the identified typology is suggested as a starting point for achieving this in incorporation of the citizen perspective in training scenarios. The results of the study are discussed in terms of a learning framework with the aim of explicitly developing crisis managers’ ability to interact and communicate with citizens in crisis situations.
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