tabletopexercities

Tabletopexercities is a collaborative framework and online repository of tabletop exercise materials designed for city-scale emergency preparedness. It provides modular scenario templates, injects, facilitator guides, and evaluation rubrics to help municipal agencies practice decision-making, interagency coordination, and public communication during crises.

Content and structure: Exercise modules cover categories such as natural hazards (floods, earthquakes), infrastructure disruptions, public health incidents, cyber and information operations, and mass gatherings. Each module includes objectives, roles, a time-structured storyline, realistic data packs, injects to prompt discussion, and guidance on inclusivity and safety.

Development and access: The project is community-driven and open source, with contributions from city officials, emergency managers, researchers, and educators. Materials are typically released under an open license and hosted on a public platform; new modules may undergo peer review to ensure relevance and quality.

Application: Users include city government agencies, universities, nonprofit organizations, and training academies. The resource is used for regular drills, graduate coursework, and research on urban resilience and response coordination. It is intended to complement, not replace, formal certifications or jurisdiction-specific procedures.

Limitations and reception: While widely adopted for standardization and cost-efficiency, the repository may require local customization to reflect governance structures and local data. Effective use relies on engaged facilitators, up-to-date information, and alignment with local policies and resources.

See also: Tabletop exercise; Emergency management; Urban resilience; Public safety communication.