Assessing emergency response plan competency gains through interactive scenario-based simulation in airport safety management

Abstract

Effective Airport Emergency Plan (ERP) implementation requires personnel to translate documented procedures into appropriate decisions and coordinated actions during dynamic emergencies. However, empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of scenario-based simulation for developing airport ERP competencies remains limited. This study examines the effectiveness of ESCAPE (Electronic Scenario-based Airport Emergency Exercise) as a scenario-based simulation approach for supporting ERP competency development. An R&D approach using the ADDIE model was employed. ESCAPE was validated by two subject-matter experts and two media experts selected through purposive sampling. Implementation involved 20 airport personnel selected through total sampling; no random assignment or control group was used. Product validity was assessed using expert questionnaires, while learning outcomes were evaluated using a one-group pre-test–post-test design. Data were analysed using validity percentages, Cronbach’s alpha, ICC, N-Gain, and a paired-samples t-test. Material and media validation achieved 89.50% and 87.78%, respectively, with good internal consistency and inter-rater agreement. Mean ERP competency scores increased from 70.75 to 88.13, yielding an N-Gain of 0.59 (medium category). The improvement was statistically significant, t (19) = 15.13, p < 0.001, with a 95% confidence interval of 14.97–19.78 and a very large effect size (Cohen’s d = 3.38). These findings indicate that scenario-based simulation through ESCAPE is associated with substantial improvement in ERP competency. Its main contribution is integrating ERP procedures with contextualized emergency scenarios, decision-making, resource positioning, and performance feedback, thereby providing a structured environment for connecting procedural knowledge with emergency-response application. Further controlled comparative studies are required to determine whether ESCAPE provides advantages over conventional ERP training approaches.