Business Challenge

The Government required enhanced readiness for Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) incidents, given the increasing frequency and severity of wildfire events across northern Canada. The client sought realistic training for Emergency Coordination Centre (ECC) personnel and Unified Command representatives to improve situational awareness, operational coordination, and decision-making during complex wildfire incidents. The challenge involved designing a scenario and exercise that accurately reflected regional hazards, available resources, and jurisdictional roles while preparing participants for multi-level emergency operations.

Objectives & Success Criteria

The client sought to:

• Develop a realistic, region-specific WUI scenario for training and exercise delivery.
• Provide ECC training tailored to territorial and municipal operational needs.
• Run a structured Tabletop Exercise with injects prompting decision-making, coordination, and assessment of consequences.
• Strengthen understanding of ICP–ECC roles, Unified Command responsibilities, and information flow.
• Identify areas for improvement and capture them in a comprehensive AAR.

Success was measured by participant engagement, demonstration of improved ECC/ICP coordination, achievement of exercise learning objectives, and delivery of a clear After-Action Report with actionable recommendations.

PMO Solution (What We Did)

PMO designed and delivered a customized training and exercise program reflective of governments’s wildfire risk profile, operational environment, and resource capacity. Training sessions incorporated presentations, case studies, group discussions, and lessons learned from real-world incidents. During the Tabletop Exercise, PMO led participants through a progressive WUI scenario supported by timed injects requiring analysis, coordination, problem-solving, and inter-agency communication. The exercise emphasized understanding of Incident Command System (ICS) roles, ECC support functions, and decision impacts across agencies. Following the exercise, PMO facilitated a structured debrief and prepared a detailed After-Action Report, capturing strengths, improvement opportunities, and recommendations for advancing emergency management capabilities. PMO continues to support the client in implementing continuous improvement measures.

Key Components / Activities

• Development of a realistic Wildland Urban Interface scenario tailored to Yukon hazards
• Delivery of custom Emergency Coordination Centre (ECC) training
• Facilitation of a multi-agency Tabletop Exercise
• Use of presentations, case studies, and facilitated discussions
• Scenario injects prompting decision-making and cross-functional coordination
• Clarification of ICP–ECC roles and Unified Command responsibilities
• Post-exercise debrief session
• Preparation ofAfter-Action Report (AAR)
• Ongoing advisory support for continuous improvement

Outcomes & Impact

The project strengthened the Territorial Government’s preparedness for WUI incidents by improving ECC operational capability, enhancing inter-agency communication, and increasing participant confidence in decision-making during complex wildfire events. The exercise highlighted realistic coordination challenges and opportunities, while the AAR provided clear, actionable recommendations for future improvement. PMO’s facilitation promoted open collaboration across jurisdictions, resulting in a more unified approach to emergency response.

Lessons Learned / Challenges Overcome

A key challenge involved designing an exercise scenario realistic enough to be meaningful but broad enough to accommodate multiple jurisdictions and participant roles. PMO emphasized this by utilizing injects and discussion points to align with the government's hazard landscape and inter-agency coordination structure.

Value Proposition Summary

PMO delivered a tailored, high-impact wildfire preparedness training and exercise program that strengthened the government’s emergency coordination capabilities. By integrating real-world scenarios, best practices, and facilitated debriefs, PMO enhanced the region’s ability to manage complex WUI incidents and reinforced alignment between ECC, ICP, and Unified Command functions. This project demonstrates PMO’s expertise in designing custom emergency management training that produces measurable improvements in readiness and inter-agency collaboration.