Exercise Hiyaa 2024
A Full-Scale High-Rise Building in the Maldives was executed on February 24, 2024, at Hiyaa Tower 16, Hulhumale’ Phase 2. This joint initiative between NDMA and MRC in collaboration with Asian Disaster Preparedness Center was part of the Strengthening Preparedness and Resilience through Inclusive Community Governance (SPRING) project.
The first exercise of its kind in the Maldives, Exercise Hiyaa brought multiple agencies together to simulate a high-rise evacuation and firefighting operation, testing the plans and procedures of every agency involved. It strengthened interagency coordination and laid the foundation for how first responders manage emergencies in high-rise buildings.
100
Participants
11
Response agencies
The increase of high-rise buildings has increased over the past decade with rapid urban development in Hulhumale. It is estimated that 92,000 residents currently live in Hulhumale. The increase of high-rise structures and the concentrated habitation of large populations in Hulhumale can significantly amplify the impact of emergencies, underscoring the crucial need for proactive measures and preparedness to effectively mitigate and respond to such situations. Preparing for that reality is what Exercise Hiyaa set out to do.
Starting with the community
Long before the exercise itself, the focus was on the people who live in Hiyaa. Planning began in October 2023 with a dedicated working group set up to coordinate the many agencies involved and to prepare both residents and building staff. Engagement began with the Vilunveri Festival, held on the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction 2023, bringing together MRC, NDMA, the MNDF Fire and Rescue Service, the Maldives Police Service, and the Housing Development Corporation. More than 100 members of the Hiyaa community took part, learning about fire safety, the role of first responders, and how to prepare for emergencies in an urban setting.
One primary component of the Strengthening Preparedness and Resilience through Inclusive Governance (SPRING) project centered around enhancing the capacity to prepare for and mitigate disaster impacts for all members in the targeted communities of the Maldives. This included improving early warning systems and strengthening the local ability to respond to and recover from disasters.
Preparing every agency
With so many agencies involved, careful preparation was essential. A multi-agency tabletop exercise brought together the Fire and Rescue Service, the Police, the Housing Development Corporation, MTCC, STELCO, and MWSC to align response strategies and identify gaps before the live exercise. Security personnel from the Housing Development Corporation received orientation in first aid, evacuation protocols, and emergency coordination, while further awareness sessions reached more than 100 residents with practical guidance on the risks of fire and how to respond.
Execution of Exercise Hiyaa
On 24 February 2024, the full-scale Exercise Hiyaa took place at Hiyaa Tower 16 in Hulhumalé Phase 2, bringing together more than 100 participants from 11 response agencies. As the scenario began, every agency activated its response measures and mobilized its teams to the scene. MRC's Male' City Unit Emergency Response Teams deployed their emergency response volunteers and emergency response vehicles, working alongside NDMA, MNDF - Fire and Rescue Service, the Police, the Housing Development Corporation, and the other responding agencies. Together they carried out a simulated high-rise evacuation and firefighting operation, moving residents to safety, providing first aid, and coordinating as one connected response, putting months of preparation into practice.
Execution of Exercise Hiyaa
On 24 February 2024, the full-scale Exercise Hiyaa took place at Hiyaa Tower 16 in Hulhumalé Phase 2, bringing together more than 100 participants from 11 response agencies. As the scenario began, every agency activated its response measures and mobilized its teams to the scene. MRC's Male' City Unit Emergency Response Teams deployed their emergency response volunteers and emergency response vehicles, working alongside NDMA, MNDF - Fire and Rescue Service, the Police, the Housing Development Corporation, and the other responding agencies. Together they carried out a simulated high-rise evacuation and firefighting operation, moving residents to safety, providing first aid, and coordinating as one connected response, putting months of preparation into practice.
Together they carried out a simulated high-rise evacuation and firefighting operation, moving residents to safety, providing first aid, and coordinating across organisations as a single, connected response. Testing in real conditions the plans and procedures each agency had prepared, the exercise put interagency coordination to the test and showed what it takes for many organisations to work as one in a complex urban emergency.
Exercise Debrief & After action
The value of an exercise lies in what is learned from it. Following the exercise, a debriefing brought all participating agencies together to conduct a collaborative review, discuss the challenges they encountered, and identify where response could be improved. The lessons learned contributed to a policy paper submitted to the President’s Office, outlining recommendations for improving high-rise disaster preparedness.
Exercise Hiyaa showed what collective commitment can achieve. When agencies prepare and respond as one, training together, testing their plans, and understanding each other's roles, the response that follows is faster, better coordinated, and more effective.