Integrated digital Training in Emergency Management

Integrated digital Training in Emergency Management (I_TEM) is a project to introduce digital learning methods into civil protection training, a sector that, at the moment, mostly uses classical classroom-based learning and practical exercises. Some of the presence-based learning is by necessity - practical exercises being the most obvious example. But sometimes opting for the conventional classroom is simply a pragmatic choice, as learners are present for practical exercises already. This is why we aim for a blended learning experience.In the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, we don’t only argue for the usage of digital elements in training for the sake of the educational benefits the targeted and complementary usage of digital media can have on the educational outcomes. We also consider it a contribution to risk minimisation for the target group of learners, who are mostly volunteers. Even if crisis responders of all kinds usually will have to put themselves in harm’s way to a certain extent as part of their work, there is no reason to already take a high personal risk during training. So usage of educational methods that at least reduce the time of personal contact are also a modest but important piece in protecting those who, in times of crisis, are helping and protecting the general population.The primary objective of I_TEM is therefore to introduce blended learning into civil protection training on a pilot basis. This will be done with a particular educational content that has been worked out in a previous EU-financed project that finished in 2016: The SAMETS guidelines, that deal with the special needs of particularly vulnerable groups of people (children, multicultural groups, the elderly, people with disabilities) should they find themselves in an emergency temporary shelter during an emergency. It is particularly suitable as it is a training that is already mostly classroom-based instead of exercised in the field and it is also particularly relevant to the current situation. A general update of the guidelines, with general lessons learned after four years as well as adaptations to emergency scenarios with infectious diseases, will of course also be made - after all, two of SAMETS’ four target groups are also high-risk groups for Covid-19. The innovative intellectual output of the project will thus be an updated version of the SAMETS guidelines that has been adapted for blended learning. This updated version will be tested in two pilot trainings in the project.The choice of SAMETS as educational content has another reason - I_TEM will take steps to integrate the sectors of civil protection and social services when it comes to preparing and training for crises. This is a gap in emergency response that some of the project partners noticed in earlier emergencies, such as the 2016 Central Italy Earthquake, where care personnel were evacuated from the affected villages, leaving elderly people who stayed without essential services. The fact that elderly homes are a particular hotspot for infections all over Europe in the Covid-19 pandemic is another indicator that the two sectors could benefit from an improved mutual understanding. Joint work on updating SAMETS and adapting it to blended learning is a highly suitable context for both sectors to get to know each other and mutually recognise and value each other’s expertise.Therefore, the secondary objective of I_TEM is to contribute to the inter-sector exchange and joint preparedness for emergencies of the civil protection sector and the social services sector. The project partners include organisations from each sector (some have activities in both) and the contributors to the primary objective as well as the participation in the pilot trainings will reflect this. Experts and learners from each group will be able to benefit from the expertise of the others, thereby updating SAMETS with knowledge and experience from both perspectives. While the details of the training will be determined within the project, we intend to integrate learners with extensive prior knowledge into teaching roles, thereby literally having the sectors teach each other relevant aspects of their work.I_TEM sees itself as an important first step and as a proof-of-concept that blended learning can be successfully introduced into civil protection and that by integrating the social sector in this training, better inter-sector collaboration in emergencies can be achieved.