Within the framework of the B-PREPARED project, our partner UST (Municipality of Ustka) will host a complex, operations-based live societal security exercise built around the historical “King Tide” flood scenario.

This large-scale drill serves as a benchmarking exercise to show the cost and other resource aspects of such a preparatory action and directly supports the adaptation and validation of the project’s VR serious game as a more cost-efficient alternative to these. Unlike fully scripted simulations, the “King Tide” scenario is designed with limited pre-disclosure of details, ensuring that participants respond to unfolding events in real time. Both the live drill and the parallel VR-based adaptation are rooted in historical flood events, combining realism with operational unpredictability.

The exercise will be conducted in line with ISO 22398 guidelines for emergency management exercises and will involve the deployment of real emergency response equipment, including FPV drones, pontoons, emergency tents, protective vests and medical equipment. Volunteers and local community members will actively participate, reinforcing both the realism of the scenario and its strong community engagement dimension.

The operational phase of the drill will take place between 13:00 and 17:00. The event begins with a briefing, followed by the gradual escalation of a flood situation. First responders will be notified and deployed, evacuation procedures will be initiated, vulnerable groups supported, missing persons searched for, and affected participants transferred to a designated safe zone. The exercise will conclude with a structured discussion to capture first impressions and operational insights.

The event brings together volunteer firefighters, youth voluntary groups, senior community members, minor participants, consortium representatives and all interested stakeholders. Throughout the exercise, professional photo and video documentation will be carried out to support evaluation, project communication and knowledge transfer activities. An initial on-site evaluation discussion will follow immediately after the operational phase.

The activities continue on 27 June during Ustka City Day, where the professional exercise connects with public engagement and awareness-raising initiatives. Visitors will have the opportunity to experience the project’s mobile app preparedness game, try the VR serious game developed through the project, and attend a roundtable discussion with municipalities and European projects.

By combining a real-life field exercise with immersive digital solutions and active community involvement, the “King Tide” complex scenario demonstrates how technical validation and societal engagement can go hand in hand to strengthen coastal flood preparedness across Europe.