Emergency loop chase game

In the Emergency loop chase game, link up the descriptions of emergencies and their consequences to create a big loop. For example, a more common name for an electricity power failure is a power cut.

For the Useful utilities game, solve riddles to find out about useful utility places needed in emergencies.   

Before you begin

• Print two copies of the Emergency loop chase asset.
• One copy should be kept intact – this should be the leader’s copy. The other copy should be cut into horizontal strips along the indicated marks.
• If there are more than 18 players, you might want to split into two groups (this will require an extra copy of the asset to be cut into strips). If there are fewer than 18 players, participants could work in pairs.
• There is a blank space for the final answer as different parts of the country are fed by different water utility companies. It’s important that everyone knows which company to contact for a water leak. This information can be found by searching online.

Note: The statements follow on from each other, creating a loop once all the statements have been put together.

Optional: You may also wish to create some extra information cards to stick around the room with the emergency numbers for each type of utility. The Electricity Power Cut numbers is 105; the National Gas emergency number is 0800 111 999; the water emergency number will depend on which water region you are in, and will require a quick internet search. This can help create discussion points amongst the group.

Play the game

1. Ask the group what they do if they’re at home and they’re cold, thirsty or if the room is too dark.  This is an opportunity to talk about electricity, gas or water supply. Explain that we call these ‘utilities’ and that the main three utilities are water, electricity and gas.
2. Can they think of any types of emergencies that may happen with these? And why these may be emergencies? For example:

• • Gas – gas leaks, broken gas pipes (can cause fires or explosions)
  • Electricity – fires, smoke, sparks, power cuts (can cause fires or leave people cold)
  • Water – water leaks, floods (flooding and damage)

3. Randomly hand out the pieces cut out the Emergency loop chase asset. Some participants may have more than one piece.
4. The person with the ‘Start’ paper should read out the first statement on the right side of the paper.
5. The person with the correct completing statement (on the left side of the paper) should then read their piece and move next to the person they match with (the person they’ve completed the sentence with). The same person then reads the statement on the right side of their piece and the game continues...
6. The next person with the correct answer then reads their piece and so on.
7. Continue the game until they have reached the piece saying ‘Finish’.
8. Reshuffle and redistribute the pieces. The first time you play, it is likely that there will be long pauses and some incorrect answers. Repeat the game until the answers flow freely.

Preparation for useful utilities

• Print two copies of page 1 of Useful utilities. One copy can be used to refer to the answers and to start groups off with their first clue.
• Cut out the Useful utilities clues. Place the pieces in relevant, corresponding places in the place you’ll be playing the game. For example, answer 1 is about a tap so it could be placed near the sink alongside clue 2.
• Print a copy of page 2 of Useful Utilities for every group taking part
• If there are any items you do not have in your meeting place, you can remove both the answer and clue for it and skip to the next clue. The clues are in a loop so if someone starts with clue 1 they will end with clue 8, if they start with clue 5 they will end with clue 4. Everyone will still complete all the clues, just in a different order.

How to play: Useful utilities

1. Hand out an initial clue to each person/team and an answer sheet. The first clue for each team should be different so you can avoid everyone crowding around the same item at the same time.

2. Players read their clue and work out the item it is referring to.
3. They should then find the item in the meeting place. They should not touch the items as some of them can be dangerous. The name of the item will be on a piece of paper along with the next clue.
4. They should write the name of where they found the clue on their answer sheet and read their next clue. They need to leave the clues and answers on the item where the found them, for others to find.
5. They should continue finding the clues until they have completed their answer sheet.
6. Once they have finished, they should allow others to complete theirs and not shout out any answers.

Note: Remind everyone that they shouldn’t touch the items, they just need to read the paper and leave it where it is.

Once everyone has finished, go around together in a group. Discuss what each item is and some safety rules for each item, such as ‘don’t touch the fuse box’, ‘don’t leave the tap running as it can cause flooding’.