EXP-044-S: Crisis Mapping: Technology, Resources, and Disaster Relief
January 25, 2011: Introductory Session
Lost at Sea Exercise
The Scenario
You have chartered a yacht with three friends, for the holiday trip of a lifetime
across the Atlantic Ocean. Because none of you have any previous sailing experience,
you have hired an experienced skipper and two-person crew.
Unfortunately in mid Atlantic a fierce fire breaks out in the ships galley and the
skipper and crew have been lost whilst trying to fight the blaze. Much of the yacht is
destroyed and is slowly sinking.
Your location is unclear because vital navigational and radio equipment have been
damaged in the fire. Your best estimate is that you are many hundreds of miles from
the nearest landfall. You and your friends have managed to save 15 items,
undamaged and intact after the fire. In addition, you have salvaged a four man
rubber life craft and a box of matches.
The Items
- A sextant (used for taking altitudes)
- A shaving mirror
- A quantity of mosquito netting
- A 25 liter container of water
- A case of army rations
- Maps of the Pacific Ocean
- A floating seat cushion
- A 10 liter can of oil/petrol mixture
- A small transistor radio
- 20 square feet of Opaque plastic sheeting
- A can of shark repellent
- One bottle of 160 per cent proof rum
- 15ft nylon rope
- 2 boxes of chocolate bars
- A fishing kit
The Task
Within your team, rank the 15 items in terms of their importance, as you wait to be
rescued (you have 20 minutes). Place the number 1 by the most important item, the
number 2 by the second most important, and so on through to number 15 for the
least important.
The team must rank each item. It does not matter how consensus is met, but at the
end of 20 minutes the team member should be prepared to answer questions about
their choices.
Source: http://wilderdom.com/games/descriptions/SurvivalScenarios.html
The U.S. Coast Guard developed this exercise and has scored the utility of each item.
Therefore, after each group has presented their rankings, the real scores will be
displayed. The class will then discuss the implications of the exercise (and the
various teams’ scores).
The Scorecard
Your Rank
Item
US Coast
Guard Rank
Difference*
Sextant
Shaving mirror
Mosquito netting
25 liter container of water
Case of army rations
Maps of the Pacific Ocean
Floating seat cushion
10 liter can of oil/petrol mixture
Small transistor radio
20 square feet of Opaque plastic
sheeting
Can of shark repellent
One bottle of 160 per cent proof
rum
15 ft nylon rope
2 Box of chocolate bars
Fishing kit
*Subtract your rank from the coast rank and write the positive number here, i.e.
disregard negatives
Total Difference:__________________
Source: http://wilderdom.com/games/descriptions/SurvivalScenarios.html
Ranks and Rationale
USCG
Rank
15
Item
Rationale
Sextant
1
Shaving mirror
Useless without accompanying
equipment
Useful for signaling
14
Mosquito netting
3
25 liter container of water
There are no mosquitoes in the
Atlantic and the netting is useless
for anything else
Vital to restore fluids
4
Case of army rations
This is basic food intake
13
Maps of the Pacific Ocean
9
Floating seat cushion
Worthless without navigation
equipment
Useful as a life preserver
2
10 liter can of oil/petrol
mixture
12
5
10
11
Critical for signaling. The mixture
will float on water and could be
ignited using the matches.
Small transistor radio
This would be out of range of any
radio station
20 square feet of Opaque plastic Can be used to collect rainwater and
sheeting
shelter from the wind and waves.
Can of shark repellent
Used to repel sharks
6
One bottle of 160 per cent proof Contains 80% alcohol, which means
rum
it can be used as an antiseptic for
any injuries, otherwise of little
value. It would cause dehydration if
drunk.
15 ft nylon rope
Could be used to lash people or
equipment together to prevent
being washed overboard in a storm.
2 Box of chocolate bars
Reserve food supply
7
Fishing kit
8
Ranked lower than chocolate
because there is no guarantee you
will catch anything.
Source: http://wilderdom.com/games/descriptions/SurvivalScenarios.html