Corporate full-scale exercises: Why they are required
Abstract
This paper discusses the importance of exercising private sector crisis management plans and teams. It identifies common roadblocks that prevent corporate emergency managers from creating and executing meaningful exercises and suggests how to address those challenges. It describes a step-by-step process to devise comprehensive exercises, including how to create buy-in from senior leaders and other stakeholders, selection of crisis team members, creative ways to engage teams and exercise plans, and the importance of after-action reports (AAR) and improvement plans. The benefits of creating and administering successful goal-oriented exercises are outlined and supported through real-life experience and examples. The paper provides insight into how to achieve cohesive and response-ready crisis management teams through designing and leading creative and goal-oriented crisis management exercises. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.
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Author's Biography
Robert Cook is the Crisis and Emergency Response Manager within the Business Resilience Group for Delta Dental. Before coming to Delta Dental, Bobby was the Senior Manager of Global Emergency Response for Applied Materials. He was a New York State fire officer for 25 years and has been a consultant for subcontractors for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Defense. Bobby is Certified Business Continuity Planner (CBCP) and a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM). He holds two Bachelor’s degrees from the State University of New York and a Master’s degree from American Military University. He has been published in several international publications and spoken at multiple national conferences.
Raelene Anderson is currently the head of Delta Dental’s Business Resilience Management programme. Prior to Delta Dental she was a Principal Consultant for BSI Professional Services and the Director of Global Emergency Response and Business Continuity for Applied Materials. Raelene is a Master Business Continuity Professional (MBCP) and a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM).
Nell Lee has over 20 years’ experience in emergency response and workplace safety and is a dedicated professional with a proven track record of safeguarding lives and organisations. She holds a Master’s degree in disaster medicine and management from Philadelphia University, equipping her with advanced knowledge in disaster preparedness, response and recovery strategies. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Nell now resides in Washington State, where she continues to contribute to the field through her expertise in emergency protocols, first aid and crisis management instruction and safety training at Delta Dental of California.
Citation
Cook, Robert, Anderson, Raelene and Lee, Nell (2025, August 17). Corporate full-scale exercises: Why they are required. In the Journal of Business Continuity & Emergency Planning, Volume 19, Issue 1. https://doi.org/10.69554/PZTF2732.
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