Small town:
Long power cut
& snowstorm
Items already in place: Church, kebab restaurant, train station
Possible items to add: School, daycare, sports centre, store, gas station, library, regional museum, emergency room, sawmill, milk farm
Crisis: A long power cut during a heavy snowstorm, cutting off electricity and disturbing supply chains
Step 1 - Start
Facilitator instructs: Choose 4 items (group decision) to create your ideal resilient small town community (list items above for inspiration).
(Time: 5 min.)
Step 2 - Crisis
Facilitator reads: A heavy snowstorm has cut electricity for 72+ hours during a very cold winter, leaving most people to survive with their fireplaces. No one knows when it will be repaired. In addition, supply chains have been disturbed in the same storm, limiting the amount of gas available. You decide to bundle up in winter gear and walk out to talk with your neighbours (other group members) and find out what is going on.
First task
Facilitator reads: Discuss: Where do you go to look for reliable local information about the extent of damages and repair plans. Who do you want to talk with? You can only choose the buildings that you chose in Step 1. (Discuss as a group but possible to make individual decisions). Move your characters to this location.
(Time: 10 min.)
Second task
Facilitator reads: After wandering for a while, you find out that the power cut will last for at least 24 hours more. There is talk of fuel and other supply distributions coming, but no one is sure where. Discuss: Where do you go to check first for possible supply distribution? If it is not there yet, who do you wish to talk with? (Discuss as a group but possible to make individual decisions). Move your character to this location.
(Time: 5 min.)
Third task (optional)
Facilitator reads: You find some water for yourself, but during your rounds, you have heard that several elderly people are unable to get the supplies they need delivered to them. You want to help but cannot do it by yourself—you need help organising people to do this task. Who do you want to talk to and where do you go?
(Time: 5 min.)
Step 3 - Rebuilding stage
Facilitator reads: The power has been repaired, snow has melted and spring has come! Better still, your village has been granted some money from the regional attractiveness fund to invest in something to build a stronger, more attractive community in the future. This allows you to invest in one more infrastructure item. Looking back at your experiences during the snowstorm crisis, what should you add to the town?
(Time: 5 min.)
Step 4 - Final thoughts
Facilitator reads: Prepare to tell the learnings from your community to the moderator (one group member represents the group). Think about the following questions as a group: Why did you chose the locations that you did? Was it easy or difficult to make the choices? Who seemed like someone you can trust in the situation you were in? Did you feel like it would be possible to find them? Think about your real-life community: do you think you would make similar choices in the same situation there?
(Time: 10 min.)
Step 5 - Discussion round
The table attends final discussion round with other tables to compare processes. This step can also be done with a moderator.
