[CM] [SIT] [E3] [PB] [CS] [3] Post-Crisis Steps for Severe Haze Scenario

Severe Haze Crisis Scenario for Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT)

Detailed Steps After the Crisis

Restore and Return Home

Purpose

The objective of the recovery phase is to safely restore normal academic, research, and campus operations following the severe haze episode while supporting the wellbeing of students and staff, assessing operational impacts, and strengthening SIT's resilience against future transboundary haze events.

Recovery begins once government agencies indicate that air quality has improved to acceptable levels and the Crisis Management Team authorises the transition from response to recovery.

Step 1: Confirm Recovery Conditions

Objective

Verify that environmental conditions support the safe resumption of normal campus activities.

Activities

• Monitor National Environment Agency (NEA) PSI and PM2.5 readings until they remain within acceptable levels.
• Review government advisories from the Ministry of Education (MOE), the Ministry of Health (MOH), and other relevant authorities.
• Confirm that haze conditions have stabilised and are not expected to deteriorate.
• Assess indoor air quality across all SIT campuses.
• Verify that ventilation and filtration systems are functioning effectively.
• Obtain recommendations from Health, Safety and Environment personnel before lifting operational restrictions.
• Seek formal approval from the Crisis Management Team to commence recovery activities.

Deliverables

• Recovery readiness assessment
• Air quality verification report
• Crisis de-escalation approval

Step 2: Stand Down the Crisis Management Team

Objective

Transition from crisis response to normal management while maintaining oversight of recovery activities.

Activities

• Gradually deactivate the Emergency Operations Centre.
• Transfer outstanding issues to relevant operational departments.
• Notify all schools and business units of the revised operational status.
• Archive operational logs and incident documentation.
• Confirm completion of emergency response activities.
• Maintain a small Recovery Management Team to oversee restoration activities until full normalisation.

Deliverables

• Crisis stand-down notification
• Recovery governance structure
• Operational handover records

Step 3: Restore Academic Operations

Objective

Return teaching, learning, assessment, and student activities to normal operations.

Activities

• Resume face-to-face lectures and tutorials where appropriate.
• Reinstate outdoor practical classes, fieldwork, and experiential learning activities.
• Resume laboratory sessions suspended during the haze episode.
• Conduct postponed examinations and assessments.
• Reschedule orientation programmes, campus events, and student activities.
• Review attendance records and provide flexibility for affected students.
• Support students requiring additional academic assistance because of missed learning opportunities.
• Coordinate recovery schedules across all academic schools.

Deliverables

• Academic recovery timetable
• Revised examination schedule
• Student academic support plan

Step 4: Resume Research Activities

Objective

Restore research programmes while ensuring laboratories and equipment remain safe and operational.

Activities

• Reopen research laboratories following environmental safety inspections.
• Verify calibration and performance of laboratory equipment.
• Replace or service laboratory air filtration systems where required.
• Assess research projects delayed during the haze period.
• Reschedule experiments interrupted by the crisis.
• Coordinate revised research timelines with funding agencies where necessary.
• Document research impacts for future reference.

Deliverables

• Laboratory reopening checklist
• Research recovery report
• Revised project schedules

Step 5: Restore Campus Facilities and Infrastructure

Objective

Ensure all campus facilities operate safely and efficiently after prolonged haze exposure.

Activities

Facilities Management shall:

• Inspect HVAC systems.
• Replace air filters.
• Clean ventilation ducts where necessary.
• Inspect building interiors for dust accumulation.
• Restore outdoor facilities.
• Resume landscaping and maintenance activities.
• Review energy consumption during the crisis.
• Verify the operational readiness of emergency equipment.

Conduct inspections of:

• Classrooms
• Lecture theatres
• Laboratories
• Libraries
• Student hostels
• Sports facilities
• Food and beverage outlets

Deliverables

• Facilities restoration report
• HVAC maintenance records
• Campus readiness certification

Step 6: Support Student and Staff Recovery

Objective

Promote physical, psychological, and academic recovery across the SIT community.

Activities

Provide:

• Medical follow-up for affected individuals.
• Occupational health reviews for employees.
• Counselling and psychological support services.
• Wellbeing programmes promoting resilience and stress recovery.
• Academic advising for students affected by prolonged disruption.
• Flexible work arrangements during the transition period are appropriate.
• Support for vulnerable individuals with ongoing health concerns.

Encourage staff and students to provide feedback regarding their experiences.

Deliverables

• Student wellbeing report
• Staff wellbeing assessment
• Counselling utilisation summary

Step 7: Conduct Financial and Operational Impact Assessment

Objective

Assess the overall organisational impact of the haze crisis.

Activities

Evaluate:

• Additional operating costs.
• Procurement of personal protective equipment.
• Air filtration and HVAC servicing expenses.
• Medical support costs.
• Remote teaching expenditures.
• Event postponement costs.
• Research delays.
• Productivity impacts.
• Contractor costs.
• Campus maintenance expenditure.

Assess operational impacts on:

• Academic delivery.
• Student services.
• Research performance.
• Campus operations.
• Business continuity effectiveness.

Deliverables

• Financial impact assessment
• Operational impact report
• Cost recovery recommendations

Step 8: Conduct Post-Incident Review

Objective

Evaluate the effectiveness of SIT's crisis response and identify opportunities for improvement.

Activities

Conduct structured debrief sessions involving:

• Crisis Management Team.
• Emergency Operations Centre.
• Academic leadership.
• Student Affairs.
• Facilities Management.
• Health, Safety and Environment.
• Human Resources.
• Information Technology.
• Corporate Communications.
• Security.
• Business Continuity Coordinators.

Evaluate:

• Decision-making effectiveness.
• Crisis leadership.
• Speed of response.
• Communication effectiveness.
• Resource adequacy.
• Academic continuity.
• Research continuity.
• Stakeholder coordination.
• Student welfare support.
• Staff welfare arrangements.

Identify:

• Successes.
• Challenges.
• Root causes of issues encountered.
• Good practices.
• Areas requiring improvement.

Deliverables

• After-Action Review (AAR)
• Lessons Learned Report
• Improvement recommendations

Step 9: Update Plans, Policies, and Procedures

Objective

Strengthen institutional resilience based on lessons learned.

Activities

Review and update:

• Crisis Management Plan.
• Severe Haze Crisis Playbook.
• Business Continuity Plans.
• Academic Continuity Plans.
• Emergency Response Procedures.
• Communication protocols.
• Health protection procedures.
• Remote learning arrangements.
• Procurement strategies.
• Facilities maintenance schedules.

Review crisis escalation thresholds using actual operational experience.

Update training materials accordingly.

Deliverables

• Revised crisis documentation
• Updated standard operating procedures
• Version-controlled playbooks

Step 10: Replenish Resources and Improve Preparedness

Objective

Restore organisational readiness for future haze events.

Activities

Replenish:

• N95 masks.
• Medical supplies.
• Air purifier filters.
• Emergency equipment.
• Communication materials.
• Operational supplies.

Review supplier performance during the crisis.

Identify opportunities to improve:

• Air quality monitoring.
• Campus ventilation.
• Digital learning capability.
• Emergency logistics.
• Vendor resilience.
• Mutual assistance arrangements.

Develop long-term resilience initiatives to address increasingly frequent climate-related environmental hazards.

Deliverables

• Resource replenishment plan
• Supplier performance assessment
• Preparedness improvement programme

Step 11: Strengthen Training and Future Readiness

Objective

Embed lessons learned into future crisis preparedness activities.

Activities

Update training programmes for:

• Crisis Management Team members.
• Business Continuity Coordinators.
• Academic leaders.
• Facilities personnel.
• Student Affairs staff.
• Health and Safety personnel.

Conduct:

• Tabletop exercises using updated haze scenarios.
• Functional response exercises.
• Academic continuity simulations.
• Cross-functional recovery exercises.

Include severe haze as a recurring scenario in SIT's annual crisis management and business continuity exercise programme.

Deliverables

• Updated training curriculum
• Annual exercise schedule
• Competency development plan

Step 12: Close the Crisis and Return to Business as Usual

Objective

Formally conclude crisis operations and reaffirm institutional resilience.

Activities

• Obtain approval from senior management to close the incident.
• Issue a formal communication announcing the return to normal operations.
• Thank students, faculty, staff, contractors, government agencies, and partners for their cooperation.
• Archive all incident documentation for audit and future reference.
• Record key performance indicators and recovery metrics.
• Monitor residual issues until fully resolved.
• Celebrate successful recovery while reinforcing the importance of preparedness for future climate-related disruptions.

Deliverables

• Crisis closure report
• Executive recovery summary
• Archived incident records
• Organisational resilience improvement roadmap

Expected Outcomes

Upon completion of the recovery phase, SIT should be able to:

• Safely restore all academic, research, administrative, and campus operations with minimal long-term disruption.
• Support the physical, psychological, and academic recovery of students, faculty, staff, and other members of the campus community.
• Restore facilities, laboratories, ventilation systems, and campus infrastructure to normal operating conditions.
• Evaluate the operational, financial, and reputational impacts of the haze crisis to inform future planning and resource allocation.
• Capture lessons learned through a structured post-incident review and translate these into improvements to crisis management, business continuity, and academic continuity arrangements.
• Strengthen organisational resilience by enhancing preparedness, refining response procedures, improving stakeholder coordination, and integrating severe haze scenarios into future training and exercise programmes.

Click the icon for the crisis management playbook for the three stages: Pre-, During-, and Post-crisis 

More Information About Crisis Management Blended/ Hybrid Learning Courses

To learn more about the course and schedule, click the buttons below for the  CM-300 Crisis Management Implementer [CM-3] and the CM-5000 Crisis Management Expert Implementer [CM-5].