Geography students learn with disaster management simulation

Enabling students to apply theoretical knowledge about crisis management in a simulated disaster scenario was the objective of UFRN Geography professor, Lutiane Almeida at the meeting on August 22nd. Specialist in the area of ​​disaster risk management, Almeida proposed a simulation in the Environmental Risks discipline, of the bachelor's degree in Geography, in order to engage future geographers in responsible action in the face of critical situations.
“We made a moment of preparation, defining the following scenario: after rainfall of 350mm in 24 hours, a landslide occurs in the dune park; there is destruction of blocks I, H, G, F, E, D, C and partial damage to block B of sector 2 of UFRN classes; two partially buried victims were found; there is a need to evacuate people and help the victims; escape routes and a safe area need to be defined”. This situation was thought of together with the students, who also defined which actors should be involved in managing the crisis: civil defense, SAMU, firefighters, dean, pro-rectors, CCHLA management, staff and students.
Simulation participants were asked to produce maps to spatialize the reported scenario and after the tabletop simulation, they worked on preparing recommendations. "The tabletop simulation is a training or planning exercise in which a group reproduces a response to a specific situation, usually a crisis or emergency. In this process, participants discuss, analyze and make decisions about how they would respond to the situation, but without actually executing the actions", explains Professor Almeida.
Among the recommendations proposed by the students, Anderson Teixeira da Silva points out the creation of a crisis committee, actions on circulation routes at UFRN to provide relief and closures, and the flow of information between centers and sectors about the actions that must be taken.
The activity allows the evaluation of response plans, identification of gaps and testing of communication between teams, which can improve preparedness for responding to a disaster.
Luiza Pereira, who participated in the activity, confirms: "The simulation helps to understand in detail the consequences and challenges during a disaster. The most interesting aspect was understanding the role of agents in this context, having knowledge of the affected area and how planning and preparation are essential to minimize risks."