Exercise 1 – Preparing for deployment
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Type of exercise
Type: tabletop exercise
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Phase of the disaster response
Type: pre-deployment
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Purpose
The purpose of this exercise is to expose participants to an EMT pre-deployment situation, in which an unfamiliarized group people have to quickly build up a team and start working together to prepare efficiently for the EMT mission. During deployments EMTmembers will require excellent communications skills and flexibility, as well as a good understanding of their differentroles, whichmay evolve to adapt to the changing conditions of the EMT context. Creating positive and collaborative team dynamics contributes to an overall effective operational performance.
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Scope
This exercise simulates the first meeting of a group of EMT members assigned to deploy in response to the earthquake in Montyland. Before heading to the field, the team members will gather in the EMT Headquarters (HQ) office and introduce to each other, get information about the mission and understand what will be their roles once on the field. They will also have to work together on different preparatory tasks for the imminent deployment.
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General objectives
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- To effectively manage the information received before deployment
- To understand the different EMT staff roles within the team
- To work collaboratively for the preparation of the EMT deployment
See the complete table with learning objectives in the annex ‘Exercise 1 – Learning Objectives’.
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Exercise description
| APPROXIMATE TIME REQUIRED | TASK | INSTRUCTIONS FOR DELIVERY |
|---|---|---|
| 5 min | Exercise briefing | Delivered out of role. The training manager will explain the scope of the exercise to participants, disclosing only the information needed for them to understand the scenario and get immersed in the role. The trainer will also ask participants to follow the rules that will be given during the exercise. Simulated setting: The team is at EMT HQ office one day before deployment |
| 10 min | Welcome team members at the EMT HQ office | All the team members will be gathered in a room that simulates an EMT HQ office. A facilitator taking the role of an EMT HQ officer will welcome all team members who are assigned to deploy to Montyland. The EMT HQ officer will encourage team members to introduce themselves in front of their colleagues, saying their name and the role they will have within the EMT during the deployment. (NOTE: If participants already know each other from before, this part of the exercise can be removed). |
| 20 min | Pre-deployment briefing | The EMT HQ officer will give a briefing of the mission (oral presentation), including detailed information about the country’s profile, the disaster event and the intervention to be put in place by the EMT. Refer to the annex ‘Pre-deployment briefing’. (NOTE: Alternatively, the EMT HQ officer can give the written information to the team leader, and ask him/her to read it to the rest of the team). |
| 5 min | Split in groups | One of the trainers will give instructions to the team leader to divide the team in 4groups. Each group will need to include people with different profiles (e.g. each group should include a doctor, nurse, logistician, pharmacist, watsan, other). |
| 40 min | Preparation for the deployment | Once the groups are formed each group will receive a 1 page document with instructions to complete a task assigned. Refer to the annex ‘Pre-deployment group tasks’. |
| 40 min | Bringing together the inputs from each group | One of the trainers will ask all the team members to get together again and each group to share with the rest of the team the outputs from the group work. They should organize for deployment according to what they have discussed. |
| 10 min | Dealing with the watsan activities | The team leader will receive a call from the EMT HQ officer who will share this latest information: Add inject 1: Team members will have to find a solution to cover water and sanitation activities since the watsan specialist cancelled deployment. |
| 20 min | Dealing with travel constraints | While discussing about the previous situation, one of the logistic members of the team will receive message about travel arrangements: Add inject 2: Team members will have to split the team and equipment in half to travel to Montyland due to changes in the flights |
| 40 min | Exercise Debriefing | Delivered out of role. Refer to the annex‘Exercise debriefing’ |
| Total time (approx.): 3h | ||
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Injects
Exercise 1 – INJECT MATRIX |
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|---|---|---|---|
Inject number | When? | To whom? | Inject summary |
1 | In the session after group work, once all groups finish their presentations | To the team leader, via phone | Watsan specialist cancel deployment |
2 | 10 min after inject 2 | To one of the logisticians | Team and equipment have to be splitted in half |
See the detailed description of the injectsin the annex‘Exercise 1 – Injects’.
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Resources needed
Human resources
- 3 trainers (one of them will be the training manager)
- 2 facilitators (one of them will take the role of the EMT HQ officer)
Materials
- Blank paper and pens
- Print out of ‘Pre-deployment group tasks’ document
- Cell phone for the team leader
- Packing list with equipment for deployment (to be prepared by the EMT using their usual packing list format and materials)
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General considerations
Before starting the exercise make sure:
- Trainers and facilitators have carefully read the exercise objectives and description
- There is an appropriate space for the team to work together and separated in groups (e.g. tables and chairs that can be moved and rearranged)
- All the needed materials (see Resources section) are available
- A cell phone is provided to the team leader
- Trainers have adapted the ‘Pre-deployment Briefing’ document to fit the EMT and participants characteristics, and you have added contact information that participants will use to contact the EMT HQ officer if they need to.
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Key reference/ supporting documents
- WHO. CLASSIFICATION AND MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR FOREIGN MEDICAL TEAMS IN SUDDEN ONSET DISASTERS
http://www.who.int/hac/global_health_cluster/fmt_guidelines_september2013.pdf
- WHO EMT website
https://extranet.who.int/emt/ - WHO Field Handbook (Annex B3) – What is expected of a team leader in a humanitarian response
http://www.who.int/hac/techguidance/tools/manuals/who_field_handbook/b3.pdf - WHO Effective teamwork. Teaching materials for the topic ‘Being an effective team player’ http://www.who.int/patientsafety/education/curriculum/who_mc_topic-4.pdf
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Annexes
- Exercise 1 – Learning objectives
- Exercise 1 – Injects
- Exercise 1 – Pre-deployment briefing
- Exercise 1 – Pre-deployment group tasks
- Exercise 1 – Exercise debriefing