The principal French authority responsible for civil defence has used MASA's crisis management simulation software to conduct a major training exercise in order to enhance response capabilities for future flooding incidents in Paris.
An estimated 500 representatives from 15 French companies took part in a two-day training exercise based on the occurrence of two weeks of major flooding in the streets of Paris. Organized by the French High Committee for Civil Defence (HCFDC), the hypothetical event was recreated using SWORD, MASA's automated simulation solution for emergency preparedness and planning.
The exercise was based on the catastrophic 1910 Great Flood of Paris, during which the Seine rose eight meters above its usual seasonal level. It precisely simulated the flow of water and the impact of rising flood levels on the city's infrastructure, while testing the participants' reactions and response. The group included representatives from leading energy and water providers, television networks, telecommunication companies and public transport operatives. They were joined by envoys of Paris City Hall and the Secrétariat Général de la Zone de Défense et de Sécurité de Paris (General Secretariat for the Defence and Security of Paris), which is responsible for the city's crisis management.
Simultaneously connected to SWORD from separate crisis response units, each organization was able to see the immediate results of their actions, as well as those of the others. They were also provided with a three-dimensional crisis overview of Paris on Google Earth, again powered by SWORD.
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