SAVEM’s annual Exercise Respond on 19 October 2025 was an enjoyable day. The training team wrote a completely new set of ten scenarios with emphasis on information management, navigation and problem solving. A typical response day was simulated with the Commander giving an overview SMEAC briefing, the Operations Officer briefing team leaders, and the team leaders briefing their teams. Team members checked their vehicles while the team leaders received taskings, then set about deciding their org charts and triaging their tasks. Just for fun, the last tasking in each group was a “cryptic clue” where teams had to deduce where they were to go to find their final “patient”.
Lessons learnt from the day were documented in the debrief at the conclusion of proceedings, and will be infused into SAVEM’s Operational Update on 16 November. Exercising process and procedure is so important at the start of the fire danger season to maintain best-practice currency and competency. Thanks to all volunteers for their contributions.
