Stop Fighting the Scenario

In the practice of readiness exercises, we often say to participants, “Don’t fight the scenario; fight the problem.”

We mean that players should not waste time or energy explaining that the scenario may have minor flaws or inconsistencies, or perhaps that it stretches the imagination a bit too far. It’s there to allow you to test the plans, policies, and procedures that help you demonstrate the capabilities you selected for this exercise.

It always amazes me that a group of people can have enjoyed the latest Star Wars movie over the weekend, but when they come to my exercise on Monday, they can’t suspend the tiniest element of disbelief about my exercise plot. Maybe the wind usually blows from the west, but we needed it to blow from the east in order to create the environment in which your agency can test a certain plan. Just work with us.

I have generally found two reasons why exercise participants fight the scenario:

First, sometimes, the scenario is wrong. Sometimes we exercise professionals make a mistake or misunderstand a process. We apologize for that. Please make a note for the hotwash, get guidance from the controller, and continue with exercise play.

The most vociferous complaints about the scenario, however, seem to come from players who really aren’t prepared for the scenario they’re faced with in the exercise. They wanted a bank robbery, and I gave them a hostage situation. They wanted a house fire, and I gave them a train wreck with a chemical spill.

What I’m seeing online recently, in the emergency management groups on social media, strikes me as that kind of scenario-fighting. You don’t want a pandemic with an unknown end date, with an uncertain set of resource requests, and with a potentially uncooperative public.

Sorry. That’s the scenario. I didn’t write it.

Some of you want to dismiss the virus. Sorry again. If it hasn’t hit your area yet, go help a colleague who’s been working 60-hour weeks, for the past 11 weeks. You won’t have to travel far. You’ll get a good taste of what it will be like when the virus does come to your jurisdiction, and maybe you’ll have made a friend who’ll help you when it does come.

Instead of fighting the scenario, prepare:

• Work closely with your regional healthcare preparedness coalition. (I’d be happy to introduce you if you don’t know them.) They’ve been building information and resource sharing networks for healthcare crises for eight years.
• Engage your LEPC on ways to re-open safely, and how the member firms can come out of the lockdown with greater economic gain.
• Talk to your public health officials about where you’d set up testing sites.
• Work now to encourage the development of better physical and mental health of your colleagues in local government.
• Build depth.

No one’s going to call “EndEx” anytime soon.