Pathfinder I
As a crisis consultant, I conduct table top exercises for all types of organizations - everything from kidnapping and ransom scenarios to mass casualty events. Tabletop exercises are an amazing way to share knowledge and experiences, provide food for thought and reveal weaknesses. While a true tabletop exercise can not be done over a forum, I thought it may prove educational and fun to throw out a scenario to the forum and have members provide their input as to what they would do in a particular situation. If it works and people like it, I’ll keep doing them. Here we go...
It is autumn, the leaves are turning and the air is crisp and dry. You are traveling with two other friends, both of which have their own rig. The group has been on travel together for two weeks and, at your current location, you are a two day drive into a wilderness environment from the nearest paved road. The road in was an abandoned service road that wound its way through a valley floor and is now taking the group through a series of switchbacks up a mountainside. While the road has not been technically difficult, the overgrowth and washout made progression slower than expected. After a full day of travel, and with another two hours of daylight before dark, the group finally arrives at a great spot for camp, half way up the mountain and overlooking a large valley below. While setting up camp, a member of the group notices a column of smoke rising from the valley below, and makes a comment that someone must be camping below. The group, occupied with camp tasks, disregards the comment. An hour later, another member of the group, taking in a deep breathe, mentions how much they love the smell of a campfire in the air; this time you take note of the comment and walk over to the edge of the bluff to see the smoke for yourself. As you make your way there you notice a steady breeze against your face and, as you near the ledge, the all-to-familiar smell of a campfire. When you arrive at the ledge and look out across the valley you struggle to see the trees below; what was once a single column of smoke has now become a light fog that hides the valley floor. Your friends have now arrived at your side and, as the group looks down below and tries to make sense of the situation, a worst case scenario reveals itself through the trees and smoke - fire. It only takes a moment for everyone to realize that the fire is not contained. Even from the elevated vantage point you can witness the fire slowly progressing through the valley. You look at your travel companions - it’s decision making time.
While every detail of every situation cannot be outlined, the scenario above should provide members of the forum a basic situation from which to grasp the essence of a situation. The scenario above is presented to the forum as an opportunity to share experiences, knowledge, considerations and thoughts - there are no wrong answers.
With all that in mind...what would you do next and why?
It is autumn, the leaves are turning and the air is crisp and dry. You are traveling with two other friends, both of which have their own rig. The group has been on travel together for two weeks and, at your current location, you are a two day drive into a wilderness environment from the nearest paved road. The road in was an abandoned service road that wound its way through a valley floor and is now taking the group through a series of switchbacks up a mountainside. While the road has not been technically difficult, the overgrowth and washout made progression slower than expected. After a full day of travel, and with another two hours of daylight before dark, the group finally arrives at a great spot for camp, half way up the mountain and overlooking a large valley below. While setting up camp, a member of the group notices a column of smoke rising from the valley below, and makes a comment that someone must be camping below. The group, occupied with camp tasks, disregards the comment. An hour later, another member of the group, taking in a deep breathe, mentions how much they love the smell of a campfire in the air; this time you take note of the comment and walk over to the edge of the bluff to see the smoke for yourself. As you make your way there you notice a steady breeze against your face and, as you near the ledge, the all-to-familiar smell of a campfire. When you arrive at the ledge and look out across the valley you struggle to see the trees below; what was once a single column of smoke has now become a light fog that hides the valley floor. Your friends have now arrived at your side and, as the group looks down below and tries to make sense of the situation, a worst case scenario reveals itself through the trees and smoke - fire. It only takes a moment for everyone to realize that the fire is not contained. Even from the elevated vantage point you can witness the fire slowly progressing through the valley. You look at your travel companions - it’s decision making time.
While every detail of every situation cannot be outlined, the scenario above should provide members of the forum a basic situation from which to grasp the essence of a situation. The scenario above is presented to the forum as an opportunity to share experiences, knowledge, considerations and thoughts - there are no wrong answers.
With all that in mind...what would you do next and why?
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