Dr. Arthur J. Simental of EM Disaster Gaming has been recognized with the Leadership in Disaster Simulation & Wargaming Advancement Award for 2026, acknowledging the company's pioneering role in bringing military-style wargaming methodology to the emergency management and homeland security sectors.
Founded in 2025 by Dr. Arthur J. Simental, a Certified Emergency Manager with over sixteen years of experience in government emergency services, EM Disaster Gaming emerged from a remarkably successful Kickstarter campaign that raised $184,000 in just 60 days.
The campaign, which was fully funded within three hours of launch, supported the development of Emergency Operations Center – Wildfire Mayhem, the company's flagship product based on the real-world Waldo Canyon Fire disaster response.
Since its establishment, the company has sold over 3,000 disaster wargames to first responders, emergency management agencies, educational institutions, and military organizations across the United States and 25 countries worldwide.
Clients have included the Department of Homeland Security, FEMA, NATO, the National Guard, and numerous colleges and universities seeking innovative approaches to disaster training and preparedness.
What distinguishes EM Disaster Gaming in the marketplace is its status as the only U.S. disaster game maker and publisher specifically dedicated to professional and public education through tabletop exercises.
The company's Emergency Operations Center Disaster Wargames series covers a comprehensive range of scenarios including wildfires, hurricanes, train derailments, hazardous materials incidents, and special events management. These commercial game sets provide accessible, low-cost training tools that challenge participants to think critically and strategize around real-world emergency scenarios.
Beyond product development, the company has expanded into publishing partnerships with subject matter experts to broaden the disaster gaming marketplace. Their catalog now includes crisis communications training games like Empathy Cue, home preparedness tools, mass care shelter simulations, and even digital offerings such as StormHaven - Maw of Zephryos, a DnD-inspired emergency management adventure.
Dr. Simental, who holds a doctorate and serves as a homeland security professor and researcher, brings a unique "pracademic" perspective to the field. His career includes service as a volunteer firefighter, deployments to presidential-declared major disasters, and experience as a Public Health Advisor for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This background informs the company's approach to emergency operations training through immersive gaming.
The company also operates the Disaster Gaming Academy, offering educational courses and partnering with higher education institutions to provide college credit programs.
Additionally, EM Disaster Gaming provides consulting services to major agencies worldwide, developing custom disaster wargames for complex problems ranging from pandemic response to civil-military mobilization.
Current projects include work with federal agencies on national special events, Air Force base drone incursion scenarios, and NATO exercises on disaster simulation and emergency response coordination.