From Planning to Practice: FEA Experts Lead Facility Management Emergency Preparedness and Civil Unrest Workshop at IFMA Facility Fusion
Emergency preparedness plans often live in binders and policy documents. But when a crisis unfolds, success depends on how well teams can apply those plans in real time. That is exactly the focus of an upcoming interactive workshop led by FEA’s Laurie Gilmer at IFMA’s Facility Fusion Conference and Expo in San Francisco.
Gilmer will present “Learning Lab: Prepared, Not Panicked: Facility Management and Civil Unrest Preparedness” on April 7 and April 9, offering facility leaders an immersive, hands-on experience designed to move beyond theory and into practical response.
>> Click here to register for Facility Fusion.
An Immersive Emergency Response Experience
The Learning Lab format is built around an interactive tabletop exercise, where participants step into the roles of different organizational functions and work together through a simulated civil unrest scenario.
Working in teams, attendees will navigate a rapidly evolving situation that challenges assumptions, tests communication protocols, and forces quick decision-making under pressure. The scenario unfolds through a changing narrative designed to replicate the complexity and uncertainty that organizations face during real-world disruptions.
This emotionally engaging exercise encourages participants to experience the challenges of crisis response from multiple perspectives while learning how coordinated action and clear planning can shape outcomes.
Turning Preparedness into Action
Throughout the session, participants will confront realistic challenges such as shifting safety conditions, communication breakdowns, and operational disruptions. The goal is not simply to respond to the scenario but to examine how organizational plans hold up under stress.
By working through the simulation, attendees will gain practical insights they can apply directly to their own emergency preparedness strategies.
Participants will leave the session with:
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Actionable strategies to strengthen emergency response planning
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Improved coordination skills across organizational roles
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A deeper understanding of best practices for disaster preparedness and response
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Practical takeaways to help enhance their organization’s emergency response plans
Collaborative Expertise
Gilmer will be joined by industry collaborators who bring additional perspectives on operations, data, and facility services:
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Wayne Whitzell, Solid Surface Care
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Alessandro Agnello, True Data Ops
Together, the group will guide participants through the scenario and facilitate discussion about the decisions teams make along the way.
Preparing Leaders for Unpredictable Events
As campuses, corporate facilities, and public institutions face an increasingly complex risk environment, facility leaders play a critical role in ensuring organizational resilience. Exercises like this Learning Lab help bridge the gap between planning and execution by allowing teams to test their assumptions in a realistic setting.
By the end of the workshop, participants will walk away not only with new knowledge but with practical strategies and renewed confidence in their ability to respond effectively when the unexpected happens.
