Emergency Drills as a Tool for Building a Safety Culture in an Organization

From Statistics to Real Actions: Why Standard Drills Don't Work

In recent years, the statistics of man-made emergencies have shown an alarming trend. As noted by Anastasia Korsun, Chief Specialist in Fire Safety, Civil Defense, and Emergencies at GSP-2 LLC, an analysis of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations data for 2023 – 2024 shows not only an increase in the number of emergencies themselves but also a sharp increase in the number of casualties and fatalities, with a simultaneous decrease in the number of people rescued. The presentation examines this paradox in detail: why do people continue to die despite strict regulatory requirements? The answer lies in the formal approach to emergency drills. Survival directly depends on the conscious and automated actions of personnel, which cannot be achieved through dry theory alone.

Six Formats of Unconventional Drills

The speaker analyzes a practical case of transforming emergency drills, the goal of which is to teach personnel how to act in abnormal situations and reduce human losses to zero. To achieve this, it is proposed to move away from routine and introduce six new formats:

• Scenario with an unexpected variable: changing locations. Drills are conducted not at a single familiar facility, but in different buildings and structures. This teaches employees to navigate unfamiliar surroundings and find protective equipment in places they rarely visit.
• Role-playing exercises: involving "victims". Some employees play the role of injured or disoriented colleagues. This allows practicing first aid and evacuation skills for people with limited mobility under stress.
• Quest drills: simulated obstacles. Blocking usual evacuation routes or adding tasks along the way forces participants to use logic and look for alternative exits, rather than following a memorized but inaccessible route.
• Involving professionals: interacting with rescuers. Joint exercises with the Ministry of Emergency Situations or municipal services teach proper communication when calling for help and meeting units, while helping rescuers study the facility.
• Scenario with unexpected timing: abandoning the schedule. Drills are held in the morning, at lunch, or at the end of a shift. This builds constant readiness and prevents complacency.
• Combined drills: evacuation plus a master class. After practicing evacuation, practical sessions with paramedics and trainers are held using mannequins, with a mandatory review of mistakes.

Overcoming Barriers: Time, Motivation, Budget

The introduction of new formats inevitably faces resistance. The speaker demonstrates how to solve these problems using their organization as an example. The main barrier — lack of time for organization — is compensated by the results. To increase motivation, gamification and rewards for active participants (bonuses or corporate souvenirs) are used. Financial costs for equipment (smoke generators, first aid simulators) can be optimized by selecting solutions for a specific budget, making drills realistic without critical financial impact on the company.

What you will learn from this webinar:

• How do emergency statistics prove the inefficiency of formal drills?
• What 6 unconventional drill scenarios can be implemented at an enterprise?
• How to organize a quest drill without violating fire safety requirements?
• How to motivate employees to actively participate in exercises?
• What equipment will help realistically simulate emergencies on a limited budget?