Blackout 2014 Exercise - Prague, the Capital of the Czech Republic

Abstract

As our world becomes increasingly complex over time, we are using increasingly sophisticated tools to be fed and entertained. This increasing complexity has both advantages and disadvantages. Our dependence on electric power is almost absolute and a long-term blackout could become potentially fatal to any region or country hit by it. It has been a rule of life that the intensive preparation to some crisis begins not sooner than after it strikes and causes a big damage. Prague city management did not want to wait to find out, however, and organized an exercise to understand just what such a situation might look like and just how well prepared the capital of the Czech Republic was to manage it. The exercise was designed, run and documented by up-to-date information technology, enabling further study and analysis of results to improve the city’s resilience and to prepare adequate means for mitigating potential damage.