Stop Disasters Computer Game
Preparing for a natural disaster requires a lot of planning and should be done weeks if not months in advance. An important part of hurricane planning should include identifying your assets and the potential risks and vulnerabilities of those assets. The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) has created an online game that gives you a look into the complexity of managing assets during a storm in an island setting.
For this activity you will need
Time – 15 - 30 minutes
Materials – A computer or mobile device with Adobe Flash player enabled and internet access
Resources – Stop Disasters Flash Based Game
Instructions
Getting started
At the main page for the Stop Disasters game, click the “Play Game” button. You will be redirected to the “Select a Scenario” screen where you can pick from up to five disaster scenarios; select “The Caribbean” Scenario at the Easy difficulty setting. Depending on your internet connection Complete the attached worksheet.
Playing the game
At the start of the game, you will be presented with the “Mission Introduction” which provides you with a brief synopsis of the scenario, what is required to complete the scenario, and must use financial resources to protect the community. As the Town Planner, you are provided with $50,000 and must use those funds to adequately secure the town to prevent injury or harm to the community and its assets. You can navigate around the community and left click on buildings to select an appropriate action such as 1) upgrade or 2) secure as well as clicking on open tiles to construct either natural barriers to mitigate the potential damage or buildings to assist with the community’s preparedness for the disaster. You have exactly 15 minutes to prepare for the natural disaster; use your resources wisely and prioritize on the objectives provided to ensure the safety of the community.
Share your results
Share your results with the USVI Storm Strong Program in one of the following ways:
1. Email it to usvistormstrong@gmail.com,
2. Text it to 340-513-7203
3. Share it on social media with the hashtag #usvistormstrong2020 and tagging us on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter
Reflection
How did your community fare after the natural disaster? (How many survivors? How much money did you have left?, etc.)
How did you prioritize how you spent your money?
Were you able to prepare the entire community with the resources and time provided?
If you were to play this scenario again, what would you do differently?
Resources
For more details on assets, risks, and hurricane preparation, check out these resources:
The U.S. Climate Resilience toolkit - Assess Vulnerability and Risk
NOAA’s National Hurricane Center - Hurricane Preparedness
