Trainer's Notes for the UNHCR Emergency Management Training
SESSION
5.1.
Simulation Debriefing Humanitarian Results
Session at a glance
Content
Approx. Time
Instructional Activity
Introduction
15 minutes
Q&A; Participant perceptions of
humanitarian results
Mortality rate presentation
15 minutes
Plenary presentation
Humanitarian results of simulation
20 minutes
Plenary Presentation of actual
results
Message traffic review
10 minutes
5 biggest problems
15 minutes
Small group work
Review and Wrap-up
15 minutes
Group reports
Total Time
90 minutes
Main objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:

understand the importance of the mortality rate in ascertaining the progress – or lack
thereof - of the emergency response

describe the actual results of the previous day's simulation and understand the reasons for
those results
Supplies
Flip chart and markers
Overhead or data projector and screen
Applicable overheads (to be edited according to the results achieved during the previous day’s
simulation)
General guidance
This session is designed to explain the role of the mortality rate in understanding the
magnitude of the emergency, and to provide a common understanding of the actual
humanitarian results of the simulation. It is a lead-in to the follow-up debriefing session
which focuses on the need for good coordination amongst all actors in an emergency.
Key Points
The main points in this session include:
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Trainer's Notes for the UNHCR Emergency Management Training
1. Changes in the mortality rate are the clearest indicator of improvement - or worsening
- in the emergency situation.
2. In an emergency, managers must try against all odds to avoid red tape and move
quickly when lives are at stake. The normal operating rules often do not - and should
not - be applied.
3. Time taken for preparedness and operations planning is time well-spent.
Session Activities
Introduction
15 minutes
Introduce the session by engaging the participants in a brief review of the simulation: what
were some of the major successes and problems encountered with regard to humanitarian
issues.
Do not spend more than a few minutes on this; the session will dig into major problems. The
intent is simply to get the participants in an analytical frame of mind with regard to the
simulation. Try not to have any one participant go on and on - there will be plenty of time for
them to discuss their views in the session.
Mortality rate presentation
15 minutes
Tell them that to understand the actual results of the simulation - as in any real emergency it is critical to understand the role of the mortality rate in assessing the magnitude of the
emergency situation. This activity show s participants how the rate is calculated. Stress that
the first aim of any emergency response is to bring down excess mortality - i.e. mortality
caused by the emergency situation - to the normal level. Show slide 3 and ask “Does this
represent an emergency?” Note then the importance of knowing the "rate" of death: to
know that 2 or 3 or 300 individuals died last week tells us nothing in terms of ascertaining
whether or not an emergency actually exists. Note that there is always mortality; it is
knowing whether or not the rate that is "normal" for a population is increasing to
unacceptable levels that can inform the manager about whether or not conditions have
deteriorated to what can be considered "emergency" conditions.
Use slides 4-6 to explain the meaning and role of the mortality rate in assessing the
magnitude of an emergency, and to indicate normal mortality rates for the industrialized and
developing worlds, both crude and child. Indicate the rates for normal. Serious, out of
control, and catastrophic situations. Then use slides 7-8 to quiz participants on calculation
of the mortality rate. Take their responses until a participant correctly offers "6 deaths per
10,000 persons per day" as the answer. Stress that the answer must be expressed as a
rate - not as an absolute number.
Humanitarian results of simulation
20 minutes
This activity is intended to give participants a graphic portrayal of the changes in population
and death rates of each refugee camp and local communities during the progress of the
previous day's simulation. The death rate and population change slides should have been
prepared the previous evening, based on the calculations in the monthly reports prepared by
the participants playing refugees and SCAD.
Use these slides (9-20) to indicate the death rate and population changes throughout the
simulation day. Note any sharp increases or decreases in death rates in particular camps.
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Trainer's Notes for the UNHCR Emergency Management Training
Ask participants why they think such steep changes occurred. Note that a series of steep
increases and decreases is often seen in a catastrophic situation as particular groups
become more and more vulnerable and then die off, one after another.
Message traffic review
15 minutes
The message traffic review is included simply to indicate to the participants how much time
and energy were spent generating "paper" traffic- as is the case in many emergencies. The
point to make is that participants were told during simulation instructions to use the message
forms to requisition supplies and submit required reports. In all simulations, participants use
them for almost every correspondence need, using up valuable time in writing rather than
meeting face to face. The facilitator should read through a few choice messages and then
make the point that managers working in an emergency should do their best to reduce red
tape. Slides 21-23 are available to graph the changes in and major topics of the simulation
message traffic; facilitators can decide whether or not to edit them in advance and show
these changes during this debriefing session.
5 biggest problems
15 minutes
Form the participants into five groups, show slide 24, and ask each group to spend about
fifteen minutes discussing what they felt were the five biggest problems encountered during
the simulation. Ask them to prioritize them on a flip chart.
Review and Wrap-Up
15 minutes
Go around to each group and ask them what their number one priority problem was. Ask
each group to explain briefly there reasoning for this number one issue. Then quickly note
those issues that pop up on the flip charts most frequently. Presumably, most groups will
mention lack of coordination as one of the major problems. This is your lead-in to the next
session.
Wrap-up by noting the critical need for coordination – both vertical and horizontal – in an
emergency. Note that the next session will focus in on this issue of emergency coordination.
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