Abstract:

Activities aimed at prevention, resolution and removal of the disaster consequences form part of crisis management. Crisis preparedness contributes in distinctive way to guarantee an effective and rapid response to disaster. Mastering the ability to successfully respond to the situation is based on the knowledge as well as practical experience of intervening entities. For students with mainly theoretical knowledge, it is appropriate to supplement their instruction with simulation of the situations that lead to acquisition of practical skills. Simulation and modelling tools have been used to promote practical instruction for this purpose. The article deals with the preparation and implementation of simulated exercise of crisis management entities at the municipal level. The topic of the exercise was the activity of municipal crisis management authorities dealing with the impacts of natural disaster – the gale. Created scenario was based on real situations of the intervention of the Integrated Rescue System (IRS) during the gale. Activities implemented by IRS components on the place of action were modelled using the WASP-C simulator. Students had to practice the tasks and activities of crisis management authorities and other entities involved in the elimination of the consequences of the disaster. The whole course of the exercise was being monitored by means of a simulator, which significantly contributed to evaluation of the exercise. The results of the exercise have identified the deficiencies in the knowledge of crisis management entities obligations. They realized the significance of both the quality and quantity of transmitted information as a basis for sound decision making process for implementation of other activities.