# Simulation exercise > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Simulation_exercise > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Simulation_exercise.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulation_exercise > Source revision: 1351396138 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Use British English|date=March 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2026}} {{Public health sidebar}} A '''simulation exercise''' (SimEx{{cite journal | last1 = Mahdi | first = Syed Sarosh | last2 = Jafri | first2 = Hafsa Abrar | last3 = Allana | first3 = Raheel | last4 = Battineni | first4 = Gopi | last5 = Khawaja | first5 = Mariam | last6 = Sakina | first6 = Syeda | last7 = Agha | first7 = Daniyal | last8 = Rehman | first8 = Kiran | last9 = Amenta | first9 = Francesco | date = 2023-05-24 | title = Systematic review on the current state of disaster preparation Simulation Exercises (SimEx) | journal = [BMC Emergency Medicine](/source/BMC_Emergency_Medicine) | pages = 52 | volume = 23 | number = 1 | doi = 10.1186/s12873-023-00824-8 |doi-access=free}}) or emergency preparedness exercise{{cite journal | journal = International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction | volume = 46 | date = 2020 | title = The role of emergency preparedness exercises in the response to a mass casualty terrorist incident: A mixed methods study | first1 = Elena A. | last1 = Skryabina | first2 = Naomi | last2 = Betts| first3 = Gabriel | last3 = Reedy | first4 = Paul | last4 = Riley | first5 = Richard | last5 =Amlôt |doi = 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2020.101503| pmc = 7709486 }} is a [public health](/source/public_health) [simulation](/source/simulation) of a hypothetical [disaster](/source/disaster) used to test response capacity. It is similar to [military exercises](/source/military_exercises). == Types == The [World Health Organization](/source/World_Health_Organization) categorises simulation exercises into four categories: tabletop exercise, drill, functional exercise, and full-scale exercise listed in increasing complexity (amount of preparation and resources required).{{cite | title = WHO Simulation Exercise Manual | publisher = [World Health Organization](/source/World_Health_Organization) | date = 2017}} The [European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control](/source/European_Centre_for_Disease_Prevention_and_Control) considers an additional type: the orientation exercise which it places before tabletop exercise.{{cite | publisher = European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control | title = Handbook on simulation exercises in EU public health settings – How to develop simulation exercises within the framework of public health response to communicable diseases | date = 2014}}. The discussion-based exercises (orientation and tabletop are recommended as a starting point before conducting operation-based exercises (the other three types). == Format == During an exercise, injects are provided.{{cite journal | first1 = Claudia | last1 = Houareau | first2 = Clara | last2 = Spieker | first3 = Ulrike | last3 = Grote | first4 = Knut | last4 = Perseke | first5 = Maria | last5 = an der Heiden | first6 = Robert | last6 = Caglar | first7 = Amrei | last7 = Wolter | first8 = Máire A. | last8 = Connolly | first9 = Jessica S. | last9 = Hayes | first10 = Mart | last10 = Stein | first11 = Benjamin | last11 = Kaluza | first12 = Maike | last12 = Overmeyer | first13 = Ute | last13 = Rexroth | title = The PANDEM-2 Simulation Exercise: Training the Coordinated Response to a Large-Scale Pandemic in 2 European Public Health Emergency Operations Centers | journal = Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness | date = 2025 | volume = 19 | doi = 10.1017/dmp.2024.298| doi-access = free }} These are updates to the scenario in the form of emails, news articles, telephone calls and so on.{{cite | title = Guide to Test, Training, and Exercise Programs for IT Plans and Capabilities | first1 = Tim | last1 = Grance | first2 = Tamara | last2 = Nolan | first3 = Kristin | last3 = Burke | first4 = Rich | last4 = Dudley | first5 = Gregory | last5 = White | first6 = Travis | last6 = Good}} The master scenario events list contains an overview of which injects are used when.{{cite | title = Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program | date = 2020 | url = https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-04/Homeland-Security-Exercise-and-Evaluation-Program-Doctrine-2020-Revision-2-2-25.pdf}} The exercise is followed up by a [debrief](/source/debrief), including a "hot" debrief immediately after the exercise.{{cite journal | last1 = Dausey | first1 = David J. | last2 = Buehler | first2 = James W. | last3 = Lurie | first3 = Nicole | date = 2007-05-29 | title = Designing and conducting tabletop exercises to assess public health preparedness for manmade and naturally occurring biological threats | journal = [BMC Public Health](/source/BMC_Public_Health) | pages = 92 | volume = 7 | number = 1 | doi = 10.1186/1471-2458-7-92 | doi-access = free| pmc = 1894789 }} == Scenarios == === Disease outbreaks === [NSW Health](/source/NSW_Health) hosted an [influenza](/source/influenza) [pandemic](/source/pandemic) exercise called ''XFG'' in 2008.{{cite journal | last1 = Eastwood | first1 = Keith | last2 = Durrheim | first2 = David | last3 = Merritt | first3 = Tony | last4 = Massey | first4 = Peter D. | last5 = Huppatz | first5 = Clare | last6 = Dalton | first6 = Craig | last7 = Hope | first7 = Kirsty | last8 = Moran | first8= Lucille | last9 = Speare | first9 = Richard | last10 = Farrar | first10 = Kris | date = 2010 | title = Field exercises are useful for improving public health emergency responses | journal = Western Pacific Surveillance and Response Journal | volume = 1 | number = 1 | pages = 12–18 | doi = 10.5365/WPSAR.2010.1.1.003| pmc = 3729048 }} The World Health Organization hosted an exercise in 2025 called ''Polaris''{{cite web | title = Exercise Polaris: The WHO Just Ran A 2-Day Pandemic Preparedness Exercise | first = Laura | last = Simmons | publisher = IFLScience | url = https://www.iflscience.com/exercise-polaris-the-who-just-ran-a-2-day-pandemic-preparedness-exercise-78708 | date = 2025-04-07}}. The fictional disease being tested was "mammothpox"{{cite web | title = WHO tests the world’s pandemic response with fictional ‘mammothpox’ outbreak | first = Bryony | last = Gooch | date = 2025-04-15 | url = https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/mammothpox-mpox-covid-who-pandemic-b2733541.html}}{{cite web | title = WHO tests pandemic response with Arctic ‘mammothpox’ outbreak | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/mammoth-pox-pandemic-response-world-health-organization/?msockid=3771122109cb63f9111c04d508886214 | first = Maeve | last = Cullinan | first2 = Arthur | last2 = Scott-Geddes |date = 2025-04-15}} The outbreak started with a [pathogen](/source/pathogen) from [permafrost](/source/permafrost). The same year, [UK Health Security Agency](/source/UK_Health_Security_Agency) held an exercise called ''Pegasus''.{{cite web | url = https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2025-11-04/debates/251104100000010/PandemicPre#contribution-2EC7BFB3-7C94-4029-9A86-206E6F6D4549 | title = Pandemic Preparedness: Exercise PEGASUS | date = 2025-11-04}} The fictional disease in this exercise was "EV-D68".{{cite web | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/schools-locked-down-again-in-secret-pandemic-drills/?msockid=3771122109cb63f9111c04d508886214 | title = Schools locked down again in secret pandemic drills | first1 = Paul | last1 = Nuki | first2 = Sarah | last2 = Newey | first3 = Maeve | last3 = Cullinan | date = 2025-11-25}} {| class="wikitable" |+ |- ! Name !! Year !! Facilitator !! Disease |- | [Exercise Cygnus](/source/Exercise_Cygnus) || 2016 || [UK Government](/source/UK_Government) || [influenza](/source/influenza) |- | [Exercise Alice](/source/Exercise_Alice) || 2016 || UK Government || [Middle East respiratory syndrome](/source/Middle_East_respiratory_syndrome) |- | Exercise [Clade X](/source/Clade_X) || 2018 || [Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security](/source/Johns_Hopkins_Center_for_Health_Security) || [disease X](/source/disease_X) |- | [Crimson Contagion](/source/Crimson_Contagion) || 2019 || US [Department of Health and Human Services](/source/Department_of_Health_and_Human_Services) || [influenza](/source/influenza) |} === Mass casualty events === In 2017 an exercise called ''Elsa'' considered a major incident leading to many casualties. The same year, an exercise named ''Socrates'' considered a [mass casualty event](/source/mass_casualty_event). === Natural disasters === A 2011 simulation imagined the [365 Crete earthquake](/source/365_Crete_earthquake) happening again.{{cite journal | journal = Geophysical Research Abstracts | volume = 14 | number = EGU2012-11787 | date = 2012 | title = The AD 365 earthquake: high resolution tsunami inundation for Crete and full scale simulation exercise | first1 = N. | last1 = Kalligeris | first2 = E. | last2 = Flouri | first3 = E. | last3 = Okal | first4 = C. | last4 = Synolakis}} In 2012 an exercise simulating destruction of the [Isthmus of Corinth](/source/Isthmus_of_Corinth) as a result of an [earthquake](/source/earthquake) was held.{{cite journal | date = 2005 | title = Development and Implementation of a Simulation Exercise for the Special Unit for Disaster Medicine in Collaboration with the “Hellenic Volunteer Rescue Team” Non-Governmental Organization | journal = Prehospital and Disaster Medicine | volume = 20 | number = S1 | pages = 63 | doi = 10.1017/S1049023X00013327 | first1 = A. | last1 = Zygoura | first2 = K. | last2 = Sidiropoulos | first3 = P. | last3 = Vergopoulou | first4 = G. | last4 = Argyropoulos | first5 = C. | last5 = Imertziadis | first6= H. | last6 = Kapnopoulos | first7 = P. | last7 = Koukopoulos | first8 = I. | last8 = Kostopoulos | first9 = G. | last9 = Letsios | first10 = C. | last10 = Papalouizos | first11 = C. | last11 = Shinarakis | first12 = K. | last12 = Fotopoulos}} == See also == * [Emergency management](/source/Emergency_management) * [Emergency operations center](/source/Emergency_operations_center) == References == {{reflist|30em}} {{Public health}} {{Concepts in infectious disease}} Category:Incident management Category:Disaster preparedness Category:Earthquake and seismic risk mitigation --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Simulation exercise](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulation_exercise) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulation_exercise?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.