Situation
A major Western Australian high capacity venue required a comprehensive emergency exercise to test its ability to respond to a critical incident involving large crowds, rapid decision‑making and multi‑agency coordination. The venue’s management sought assurance that their emergency procedures, communication pathways and incident‑command structures were capable of supporting a real‑world crisis, including scenarios involving violent threats or complex public‑safety risks.
To achieve this, Resilience Solutions Director was engaged to design and lead a realistic, high‑pressure exercise that would challenge venue staff, security teams and emergency responders.
Action
Resilience Solutions’ Director, drawing on his experience working with state counter‑terrorism capabilities, planned and executed a large‑scale emergency exercise inside the venue, using live role players. The exercise was designed to simulate the complexity, unpredictability and urgency of a genuine critical incident.
Key actions included:
Designing a realistic, high‑impact emergency scenario tailored to the venue’s risk profile
Coordinating participation from venue management, security contractors and emergency‑response stakeholders
Delivering structured briefings and exercise control to ensure safe but challenging conditions
Testing evacuation routes, communication channels and incident‑command structures under simulated pressure
Observing staff responses, identifying capability gaps and assessing operational readiness
Conducting a formal debrief and providing clear, actionable improvement recommendations
The exercise provided a controlled but demanding environment that allowed all participants to test their systems, decision‑making and coordination under realistic conditions.
Result
The emergency exercise significantly strengthened the venue’s preparedness and operational resilience. Staff gained confidence in their roles, emergency procedures were validated and refined and communication pathways between security teams and emergency responders were improved.
The exercise demonstrated Resilience Solutions’ capability to design and lead complex emergency‑management activities using state counter‑terrorism expertise. It showcased our ability to work collaboratively with major venues and government stakeholders to enhance public‑safety outcomes and ensure readiness for high‑risk scenarios.
