
Robinson, T.R.; Wilson, T.M.; Davies, T.R.H.; Orchiston, C.; Thompson, J.R. 2014 Design and development of realistic exercise scenarios : a case study of the 2013 Civil Defence Exercise Te Ripahapa. : . GNS Science miscellaneous series 69 113 p.
Abstract: Emergency management exercises are regularly undertaken by both government and non-government bodies in an attempt to practise responding to a crisis. The scenarios involved in these exercises range from natural hazards to pandemics to terrorist attacks. Their foremost purpose is to test the resilience of the involved parties and to identify preparedness issues that can be modified pre-event. As such it is vital that the scenarios involved are both probable and scientifically realistic. Herein, we propose a Scenario Development framework (SDf) for the design and development of future scenarios used in emergency management exercises. We detail the key steps of the SDf and provide examples throughout. We then present the recent South Island CDEM Tier 3 Exercise Te Ripahapa as an illustrative example of the use of SDf’s, and include detailed discussions of the various steps within the SDf that led to Te Ripahapa’s creation. We conclude that the process of developing an exercise must be split into four stages: 1) Exercise Design; 2) Hazard Scenario; 3) Impact Scenario; and 4) Exercise Control. (auth)