Case Study: Louisiana Department of Health improves emergency evacuation planning with SIMUL8

Improving emergency evacuation planning using simulation

The Louisiana Department of Health faced the complex challenge of planning for large major hurricane. Their emergency preparedness team needed to test variables, a task that was too difficult and time-consuming with their existing spreadsheet-based approach. They turned to SIMUL8 Corporation and its process simulation software for a solution.

SIMUL8’s consultants collaborated with the department to build a detailed visual simulation model that incorporated the full complexity and variability of the air evacuation process. This solution enabled the team to run various scenarios and clearly communicate the plan to stakeholders, shifting the focus from definitive numbers to understanding uncertainty. The use of SIMUL8 saved the team an estimated 80 hours of work and resulted in a more robust and practical emergency evacuation plan.

Louisiana Department of Health

Henry Yennie

Emergency Preparedness Section