A step-by-step guide to building realistic disaster preparedness training

When disaster strikes, communities and organizations need to respond quickly and effectively. But how do you prepare for something that hasn't happened yet? The answer is emergency exercises—realistic simulations that let responders practice their skills in a safe environment.

The problem is that creating effective emergency exercises is incredibly complex. Most are either too simplistic to be useful or so complicated they become unwieldy. Preppr.ai solves this by guiding users through a systematic, step-by-step process that builds professional-quality exercises every time.

Here's how it works:

Introduction & Setup

Step 1: Setting the Foundation (Core Capabilities)

What Happens

Think of this like choosing which skills you want to practice before a big game, but with the added power of using your organization's actual playbook. Preppr starts with a four-part process:

First, the system introduces itself and confirms you're ready to begin serious exercise planning.

Second, it reviews any custom instructions you've set up—things like your organization type, geographic focus, or specific threats you're concerned about.

Third, and crucially, it asks you to select your organization's actual documents from your Preppr library. This might include your Emergency Operations Plan, threat assessments, previous exercise reports, mutual aid agreements, or organizational policies. Preppr doesn't just store these—it actively reads and incorporates the details throughout the entire exercise design process.

Finally, you select which emergency management capabilities you want to test. The system offers proven frameworks like HSEEP (used by homeland security), PHEP (for public health), Joint Commission standards (for hospitals), or the option to create custom capabilities.

What You'll Encounter

Preppr will greet you with a professional introduction:

"Hello, I'm Preppr, here to help you design and produce documents for your disaster exercise! Let's work together to make this as effective and tailored as possible. Here are a few tips before we get started: This is an iterative conversation—feel free to ask questions, challenge ideas, or suggest alternatives."

You'll then see your framework options presented like this:

"You can choose to: 1. Use a standard framework (HSEEP, PHEP, EPHEPR, HPP, or Joint Commission). 2. Select custom capabilities from an existing framework. 3. Define a new custom capabilities framework if you have specific needs beyond the standard options."

Example User Interactions

User says:

"I'm a hospital emergency manager and we need to test our Joint Commission compliance."

Preppr produces: A list of all 13 Joint Commission capabilities with their EM standard codes:

• "Foundation for the Emergency Operations Plan (EM.01.01.01)"

• "Communications During Emergencies (EM.02.02.01)"

• "Patient Management (EM.02.02.11)" [...and so on]

User says:

"I want to focus on coordinating with our county emergency management and testing our backup power systems."

Preppr produces:

"Based on what you've described, I recommend the following capabilities: Operational Coordination, Infrastructure Systems, and Emergency Operations Center. Please confirm or adjust these selections."

Why This Matters

You can't test everything in one exercise, and you shouldn't try. But more importantly, you can't create a meaningful exercise without grounding it in your organization's real context. By starting with your actual documents and clear capability selection, you ensure the entire exercise reflects real organizational constraints, procedures, and relationships rather than generic best practices.

What's Possible

• Document-Driven Realism: Upload your Emergency Operations Plans, threat assessments, or previous exercise reports, and Preppr automatically incorporates your real organizational context throughout the design

• Professional Standards: Choose from five major emergency management frameworks used by federal agencies, hospitals, and local governments

• Custom Flexibility: Create your own capabilities if standard frameworks don't fit your organizational needs

• Smart Adaptation: The system adjusts its language and complexity based on whether you're planning for a family, community group, or professional organization

• Intelligent Integration: The system proactively references your documents when making recommendations, ensuring exercises test your actual capabilities rather than theoretical ones

Scenario Description

Step 2: Creating the Disaster Scenario

What Happens

Now you build the "movie set" for your exercise. Preppr helps you create a realistic disaster scenario that will challenge the capabilities you selected. You'll specify the type of threat (hurricane, cyberattack, pandemic, etc.), the location, timing, and key participants.

The system offers two approaches: a quick "Initial Draft" where you provide basic details and get a complete scenario, or a "Guided Setup" that walks you through every element step-by-step.

What You'll Encounter

Preppr starts with a mandatory opening message:

"Welcome to the scenario design process! To get started, please specify the threat type for this exercise. If you need suggestions for potential threats, feel free to ask, and I would be happy to assist!"

Once you specify a threat, you'll see:

"Thank you! We'll be designing a scenario for a [your threat type]. Would you prefer a Guided Setup where I'll walk you through each part step-by-step, or would you like an Initial Draft that you can refine afterward?"

Example User Interactions

User says:

"Cyber attack on our hospital systems"

Preppr produces:

"Perfect! I'll analyze recent cyber attack incidents and response patterns. Based on current threat intelligence, I can see specific patterns from recent healthcare cyberattacks that will help create a realistic scenario. We'll be designing a scenario for cyber attack. Would you prefer a Guided Setup or Initial Draft?"

User chooses Initial Draft and says:

"Our main campus in downtown Phoenix, during summer heat wave, involving IT staff, clinical staff, and emergency management."

Preppr produces: A complete scenario narrative like:

"In mid-July, during an extreme heat warning with temperatures reaching 118°F in Phoenix, a sophisticated ransomware attack targets the IT infrastructure of Phoenix General Hospital. The attack begins at 6:00 AM on Tuesday morning, initially affecting electronic health records and patient monitoring systems. As the attack spreads through the network, backup systems begin failing, and the hospital faces the dual challenge of maintaining patient care during a heat emergency while operating with compromised digital infrastructure..."

Why This Matters

The scenario is what makes everything feel real to participants. A generic "there's been an emergency" doesn't engage people the way a detailed, location-specific scenario does. Realistic scenarios make participants care about the outcomes and think more seriously about their decisions.

What's Possible

• Current Intelligence: When available, scenarios incorporate patterns from actual recent disasters, including real infrastructure failures and coordination challenges

• Geographic Accuracy: Uses real locations, landmarks, and infrastructure to make scenarios feel authentic

• Progressive Complexity: Events unfold over time, showing how small problems can escalate into major crises

• Vulnerable Populations: Includes specific at-risk groups like elderly residents, tourists, or people with medical needs

Objectives

Step 3: Setting Clear Goals (Objectives Creation)

What Happens

With your scenario in place, Preppr helps you write specific objectives that participants will work toward. These aren't vague goals like "improve communication," but concrete, measurable outcomes like "Identify three specific coordination challenges between emergency management and public health agencies during a disease outbreak."

What You'll Encounter

Preppr presents you with the exact opening:

"Welcome to the objective-setting step for your tabletop exercise! Based on the scenario and capabilities you've selected, I can either create draft objectives for you to review, or we can go through a guided process to develop each objective step-by-step. Which would you prefer? 1. Draft objectives – I'll generate initial objectives based on the selected capabilities. 2. Guided process – We'll develop each objective together, step-by-step."

Example User Interactions

User says:

"1" (chooses draft objectives)

Preppr asks:

"Got it! I'll use the capabilities and scenario details to draft objectives that encourage meaningful discussion for this exercise. Before I start, could you provide any specific areas or actions you'd like to focus on? For example: Would you like to emphasize topics like decision-making, communication flow, or resource prioritization?"

User responds:

"Focus on decision-making under pressure and coordination between IT and clinical staff."

Preppr produces: Specific objectives like:

• "Operational Coordination: Evaluate the effectiveness of coordination protocols between IT and clinical staff during system outages caused by cyber incidents."

• "Infrastructure Systems: Assess decision-making processes for prioritizing system restoration when multiple critical systems are compromised simultaneously."

• "Communications During Emergencies (EM.02.02.01): Analyze backup communication methods between departments when primary digital systems are unavailable."

Why This Matters

Clear objectives transform an exercise from an interesting discussion into a learning experience with measurable outcomes. They help facilitators keep discussions on track and give participants a sense of accomplishment when they achieve specific goals.

What's Possible

• Framework Alignment: Automatically includes professional standard codes (like Joint Commission requirements) for organizations that need compliance documentation

• Assessment-Ready: Creates objectives that can actually be measured and evaluated

• Discussion-Focused: Emphasizes critical thinking and analysis rather than just following procedures

• Complete Coverage: Ensures every capability you selected gets tested through specific objectives

Modules

Step 4: Breaking It Into Manageable Pieces (Modules Creation)

What Happens

Your disaster scenario might unfold over days or weeks, but you can't run an exercise that long. Modules break your scenario into focused discussion segments—think of them like chapters in a book or acts in a play.

What You'll Encounter

Preppr introduces module creation with:

"Welcome to the modules creation step for your tabletop exercise! At this stage, we'll work on developing specific modules that align with your exercise's objectives and core capabilities. Would you like me to: 1. Draft module titles based on best practices and previous exercises? 2. Guide you step-by-step to develop modules tailored to your scenario? 3. Hear your ideas for modules and provide feedback or suggestions?"

Example User Interactions

User says:

"1" (draft module titles)

Preppr asks:

"Got it! I'll use the exercise details and conversation context to draft initial module titles that will encourage meaningful discussion and effective decision-making. Before we begin, are there specific areas or actions you'd like to focus on for these modules? For example: Decision-making during critical incidents, Resource allocation and logistics, Interagency communication and coordination, Public information management."

User responds:

"Focus on the progression from initial detection through full system restoration."

Preppr produces: Module titles like:

• "Initial Cyber Incident Detection and Assessment"

• "Critical System Isolation and Emergency Protocols"

• "Coordinated Response and Communication Management"

• "System Recovery and Lessons Learned Integration"

Why This Matters

Modules prevent cognitive overload and allow facilitators to control the pace of learning. They also make it possible to run exercises of different lengths—you might use just one module for a 90-minute training session, or all four modules for a full-day exercise.

What's Possible

• Flexible Timing: Create modules that work for everything from brief briefings to multi-day exercises

• Targeted Learning: Each module can focus on different capabilities or different types of decisions

• Scalable Complexity: Modules can be designed for anything from household emergency planning to multi-agency coordination

• Natural Progression: Modules follow the logical flow of your disaster scenario

Step 5: Adding Realistic Complications (Module Inject Design)

What Happens

This is where your exercise comes alive. Injects are specific events that happen during each module to create realistic pressure and force participants to make decisions.

What You'll Encounter

Preppr always starts inject design with:

"Now that we've defined the modules, let's design some detailed injects to enhance realism in the exercise. These injects simulate specific events or challenges that will occur during your scenario, providing concrete situations for participants to respond to. I can either draft an initial set of injects for you to review, or we can go through a guided process to create each inject step-by-step. Which option would you prefer? 1. Draft initial injects 2. Guided process"

Example User Interactions

User says:

"1" and then specifies: "Include system failures that cascade, social media misinformation, and vendor coordination challenges."

Preppr produces: Detailed injects like:

• "Day 1, 6:15 AM: The electronic health records system displays a ransom note demanding payment in cryptocurrency. Simultaneously, patient monitoring systems in the ICU begin showing intermittent connectivity issues."

• "Day 1, 8:30 AM: Social media posts claim that patient data has been posted online, causing families to flood the hospital phone lines demanding information about data breaches."

• "Day 1, 11:00 AM: The primary IT vendor reports that their remote access tools have also been compromised, and they cannot provide immediate technical support for system restoration."

Why This Matters

Without injects, exercises become theoretical discussions. With good injects, participants feel the pressure of real decision-making. Injects simulate the unexpected complications that always arise during actual emergencies.

What's Possible

• Real-World Patterns: When current threat intelligence is available, injects incorporate challenges that have actually occurred in recent similar disasters

• Escalating Pressure: Events build on each other to create realistic stress and urgency

• Multi-Agency Challenges: Injects can test coordination between different organizations and jurisdictions

• Compliance Integration: For healthcare and other regulated industries, injects can test specific regulatory requirements

Step 6: Designing Discussion Questions

What Happens

Now Preppr helps you create the questions that will guide participant discussions during each inject. This is where the system gets sophisticated—it can organize questions by functional groups and create different question types.

What You'll Encounter

Preppr guides you through four mandatory steps:

"Now that we have our injects defined, let's develop discussion questions that explore how participants should respond to these specific scenario events. First, let's define the functional groups for this module. Based on your module's objectives and scenario, I recommend organizing the discussion around functional groups to ensure comprehensive coverage. Here are the functional groups I suggest for this module: [list of recommended groups]"

Then you'll see options like:

"User Options: 1. Use these recommended groups 2. Modify these groups 3. Define my own groups 4. Skip functional groups"

Example User Interactions

User says:

"1" (use recommended groups: IT Department, Clinical Staff, Emergency Management, Hospital Administration, Legal/Compliance)

Preppr then asks:

"Perfect! Now let's determine how you'd like to structure the discussion questions. You have several options: 1. General Questions - Create broad discussion questions organized by the functional groups 2. Inject-Specific Questions - Create targeted questions tied to each specific inject 3. Combination of Both"

User chooses:

"2" (inject-specific questions)

Preppr asks:

"Excellent! Now let's determine the format for your questions: 1. All open-ended questions - Best for discussion and critical thinking 2. All multiple choice questions - Best for structured assessment 3. Mixed question types"

User chooses:

"3" (mixed)

Preppr produces: A comprehensive matrix like:

*"Inject 1: Day 1, 6:15 AM - Ransomware attack begins

• IT Department:

  • What should be the immediate priority action for the IT Department? (Multiple choice: A) Begin system restoration immediately, B) Isolate affected systems, C) Contact FBI, D) Pay the ransom)

  • How should the IT team communicate the scope of the problem to hospital leadership? (Open-ended)

• Clinical Staff:

  • What backup procedures should clinical staff implement when EHR systems are compromised? (Open-ended)

  • Which patient care activities should be prioritized when digital systems are unavailable? (Multiple choice with clinical options) [...continues for all functional groups and all injects]"*

Why This Matters

Good questions are what transform scenarios and injects into learning experiences. They guide participants to think critically about challenges, consider different perspectives, and practice the kind of analysis they'll need during real emergencies.

What's Possible

• Comprehensive Coverage: Advanced matrix generation ensures every scenario event gets explored from every stakeholder perspective

• Flexible Formats: Choose from discussion-focused questions, structured assessments, or mixed approaches

• Current Best Practices: Questions can incorporate lessons learned from recent actual incidents

• Functional Group Organization: Questions ensure all key stakeholders get meaningful participation

Step 7: Writing Module Summaries

What Happens

After all the detailed work of creating injects and questions, Preppr creates a concise summary of what each module will actually accomplish.

What You'll Encounter

Preppr automatically generates a description:

"Let's create a concise, high-level description for the current module. Since we now have both the specific injects and discussion questions defined, I can create an accurate description that reflects exactly what participants will experience. Here's a draft description for the module based on the defined content:"

Example User Interactions

Preppr produces: A module description like:

"Module Description: This module focuses on immediate cyber incident detection and initial response coordination within a hospital environment during extreme weather conditions. Participants will analyze decision-making processes when electronic health records and patient monitoring systems are compromised, evaluate coordination protocols between IT and clinical staff, and assess backup communication methods when primary digital systems fail. The goal is to test rapid response capabilities, inter-departmental coordination, and critical decision-making under the dual pressure of cyber threats and ongoing patient care responsibilities during a heat emergency."

User can then say:

"This looks good" or request modifications like "Emphasize the legal and compliance aspects more."

Preppr would revise: to include more focus on regulatory requirements and compliance documentation needs during the incident.

Why This Matters

Module descriptions serve as quality control—they force you to articulate clearly what participants will do and learn. They also provide essential information for exercise planning and participant preparation.

What's Possible

• Accuracy Guarantee: Descriptions are generated after all module content is finalized, ensuring they accurately reflect what participants will experience

• Participant Clarity: Clear summaries help people prepare mentally for what's coming

• Facilitator Support: Descriptions provide talking points for exercise controllers

Master Scenario Events List (MSEL)

Step 8: Creating the Exercise Timeline (MSEL)

What Happens

The final step transforms your exercise design into an execution plan. The Master Scenario Events List (MSEL) is a detailed timeline that tells exercise controllers exactly when each inject should be delivered, who should deliver it, and what response is expected.

What You'll Encounter

Preppr introduces MSEL creation with:

"Now that we've completed your exercise design, I can assist you in developing a Master Scenario Events List (MSEL) to enhance the exercise flow. This will help structure key events, timings, and actions, ensuring a smooth and realistic simulation. Would you like to: 1. Proceed with creating the MSEL 2. Skip this step"

Then you'll see your injects listed:

"I've identified the following injects based on what you've designed so far. Please review them and let me know which ones you'd like to include in your MSEL: Module 1 Injects: - Inject 1: Ransomware attack begins - Inject 2: Social media misinformation spreads [...] Would you like to: 1. Include all injects from all modules 2. Include specific injects by number 3. Exclude certain injects"

Example User Interactions

User says:

"1" (include all injects)

Preppr confirms:

"CONFIRMATION: I will now generate MSEL events based on ALL 12 injects from your 4 modules. Each inject will be transformed into a detailed MSEL event with timing, responsible organizations, inject modes, and expected actions."

Preppr produces: A comprehensive MSEL table with entries like:

"Event 1: Ransomware Detection
Date: Day 1
Time: 06:15
From: Exercise Controller
To: IT Department Lead
Message: 'You've discovered ransom note on primary EHR server. Patient monitoring systems showing intermittent connectivity.'
Expected Action: Initiate incident response protocol, notify hospital command center
Responsible Organization: IT Department
Synopsis: Initial cyberattack discovery triggers emergency response protocols"

Why This Matters

The MSEL is what turns your exercise design into a professional training event. It ensures consistency, helps with resource planning, and provides the documentation needed for formal exercise programs.

What's Possible

• Professional Standards: Creates documentation that meets federal exercise requirements

• Complete Coverage: Can include every inject from every module in a comprehensive timeline

• Resource Planning: Identifies exactly what personnel and materials are needed when

• Quality Assurance: Ensures nothing gets missed during exercise execution

Why This Systematic Approach Works

It Starts With Your Reality

Rather than creating generic exercises, Preppr grounds everything in your organization's actual documents, procedures, and context. This means participants practice with familiar protocols and realistic constraints.

It Builds on Itself

Each step provides the foundation for the next. You can't write good objectives without clear capabilities. You can't design effective injects without a solid scenario. The sequential approach prevents gaps and ensures everything fits together.

It Prevents Common Mistakes

Most exercise failures come from poor planning—vague objectives, unrealistic scenarios, or discussions that go nowhere. By following this systematic process, you avoid the pitfalls that make exercises ineffective.

It Scales to Any Size

Whether you're planning family emergency preparedness or coordinating between multiple federal agencies, the same systematic approach works. The complexity scales, but the logic remains the same.

It Stays Current

By incorporating current threat intelligence and lessons learned from recent incidents, exercises stay relevant to today's challenges rather than yesterday's assumptions.

It Ensures Professional Quality

The process builds in quality controls and professional standards that ensure your exercise meets the requirements of formal emergency management programs.

The Bottom Line

Emergency preparedness isn't just about having plans—it's about having people who know how to execute those plans under pressure, using your organization's actual resources and procedures. Preppr.ai's systematic approach ensures that every exercise you create will provide meaningful learning experiences grounded in your real organizational context that actually improve your emergency response capabilities.

By uploading your documents and following these eight steps, you transform your existing emergency plans and complex scenarios into manageable, effective training experiences that prepare people for the real challenges they'll face when disaster strikes.

Ready to experience the future of exercise design? Try Preppr's AI-powered platform and transform your emergency preparedness program. Visit preppr.ai to learn more.