Citation

Cuesta A, Gwynne SMV. Safety Sci. 2016; 84: 24-36.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ssci.2015.11.003

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Numerous evacuation models are now able to represent populations with different movement abilities. However, this representation is not always supported by empirical data; i.e. the functionality can occasionally overreach the empirical support for it. The goals of this work are: (1) to provide data that adds to the understanding and quantification of vulnerable population's evacuation performance, and (2) to provide sufficiently detailed and transparent data-sets for model configuration and validation.

Data was collected during five evacuations from the same school, conducted between 2011 and 2014. Children from 4 to 16 years old were involved in these drills. Four of the evacuations were unannounced, while one was semi-announced (i.e. staff were aware that the drill would be conducted on a particular day). In addition to the initial scenario conditions (e.g. the building geometry, population, procedures employed, etc.), a number of different performance data-sets were collected: pre-evacuation times, travel speeds, route use and evacuation arrival curves. Through the provision of detailed architectural diagrams and other initial conditions and raw data/analysis describing evacuee performance it is hoped that this data-set will be used in the development of evacuation models and their application. The limitations in the data collection and analysis process are outlined allowing the modeler to identify where issues might arise and take corrective actions where possible.

Language: en