Lead Through Crisis

Step into the role of an emergency management director facing a disaster. Your decisions shape outcomes for thousands of people.

What is ResponseWindow?

ResponseWindow is a turn-based disaster response simulation where you lead emergency operations during crises like floods, wildfires, earthquakes, and heat waves.

Unlike action games, ResponseWindow is about strategic thinking under pressure. You'll manage limited resources, coordinate response teams, maintain public trust, and make difficult decisions with incomplete information.

How It Works

Assess the Situation

Each turn begins with briefings from your agencies and media reports. Understand the evolving crisis before committing resources.

Make Decisions

Choose up to 5 actions per turn from 57 different decisions: deploy rescue teams, restore infrastructure, establish shelters, procure equipment, and more.

Adapt & Overcome

Watch your decisions unfold as disasters evolve. Your ability to adapt determines whether you achieve an exemplary outcome or face failure.

What You Manage

BudgetFund operations, hire personnel, procure equipment. You can go into debt, but it has consequences.

PersonnelFirst responders, medical staff, engineers, and planners. They get tired when deployed continuously.

EquipmentVehicles, generators, medical supplies, and communications gear. Equipment degrades with use, but you can procure more.

Public TrustHow much confidence the public has in your leadership. Trust affects cooperation and political support.

Political CapitalYour ability to make bold moves like declaring emergencies or requesting federal assistance.

Types of Decisions

With 57 decisions at your disposal, you can respond to any crisis:

Operational

Immediate response: search & rescue, medical teams, aerial and water rescue, pumping operations, and evacuation monitoring.

Infrastructure

Restore power and water, clear routes, deploy generators, establish communications, and conduct structural assessments.

Strategic

Field hospitals, shelters, supply depots, mutual aid agreements, pre-positioned supplies, and public information campaigns.

Procurement

Acquire vehicles, generators, medical gear, heavy machinery, shelter supplies, communications equipment, aircraft, and boats.

Political

Emergency declarations, federal assistance requests, press conferences, site visits, and media management strategies.

Hazard-Specific

Fire breaks, flood barriers, cooling centers, aerial fire suppression, aftershock monitoring, and hydration teams.

12 Diverse Scenarios

Each scenario presents a unique challenge with different hazards, geography, and starting conditions. Difficulty ranges from Story mode for learning the mechanics to Crisis mode for experienced commanders.

Story

Industrial Heat Crisis - Extreme heat threatens vulnerable populations
Delta Levee Crisis - Aging levees threaten agricultural communities

Standard

River City Flood - Spring floods threaten an inland metro
Sierra Ridge Wildfire - Fast-moving flames in mountain terrain
Harbor District Deluge - Flooding overwhelms a coastal district
Cascade Pass Wildfire - Remote wilderness fire spreads rapidly

Expert

Hurricane Coastal Strike - Category 4 storm bears down on the coast
Coral Bay Medical Crisis - Island community faces healthcare collapse
Bayshore Refinery Fire - Industrial disaster with toxic hazards

Crisis

Metro Quake - Devastating earthquake in a dense urban center
Millbrook Dam Breach - Catastrophic dam failure and flooding
Metro Festival Earthquake - Quake strikes during a major event

Ready to Lead?

Create a free account to save your progress and tackle multiple scenarios.