Users Guide - the Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center

Real Time Evacuation Planning Model (RtePM)A Decision Support Tool for Emergency Managers and First RespondersAfter adding a new shelter, the user defines the shelter parameters by clicking on the appropriate fields(Figure 31). Fields that may be edited are:Name (the shelters name);Capacity (how many the shelter can hold); NOTE: RtePM users must ensure that the percentageof population going to shelters is less than the shelter capacity. If this principle is violated, thesimulation scenario will not complete successfully and will give an error message.URL (the web address of the shelter’s web page).Figure 31 -- Defining a ShelterTo remove a shelter from the evacuation network, select the shelter to be removed by choosing the“Remove” tool on the “Shelters” tab and select the shelter on the map display with the mouse. Thecheckbox making a shelter active may also be unchecked allowing the configuration of the shelter toremain, but not be considered by the current simulation.Seasonal PopulationsSeasonal populations can impact evacuation times. RtePM allows this to be considered duringevacuations. Seasonal populations are illustrated on the map display by a grid overlay that may be turnedon or off using the “Show Layer” select box (Figure 32). Seasonal populations are defined as surge typepopulations and are not included in census data. Scenarios may be run with seasonal populationsactivated or inactive to aid planners in understanding variations in evacuation events. Click the green“Add” button and enter the following information to define seasonal populations:Name: identifying name for the evacuation areaPopulation: number of seasonal evacuees falling outside of census dataVehicle Occupancy: how much of the population is in each vehicle on average.Shape: the selection tool used to define the area containing the seasonal population.Populations may be selected via a freehand polygon, bounding box, or point selection.20