The evaGuide Project
The evaGuide is a Safety and Security Management System whose main aim is to support the large facility owners and operators with Planning, Implementing, Simulating and Assessing complex evacuation scenarios.
Our primary focus is stadia and arenas, where tens of thousands of people gather in one confined structure. In case of an emergency this large crowd needs to evacuate in a short time period, often under adverse conditions such as fire in parts of the structure, smoke from fumigants or from fire leading to low visibility, or at night, where visibility is low or none (if parts of the lights fail).
Evidently, real-time CCTV surveillance systems may in some cases not suffice for the authorities to review the situation and adapt the optimum evacuation strategy
“I saw people running and screaming towards one direction and then many were turning around to run back the other way.”
Witness statement reported in the mirror.co.uk for Manchester bombing in May 2017
“There was panic as fans stampeded to an exit which was padlocked. Two or three burly men put their weight against it & smashed the gate open. Otherwise, I would not have been able to get out ”
Witness statement reported in BBC News for Bradford Stadium Fire May 1985
What is required is a system that improves Preparedness, supports Situation Awareness and Decision Making in cases of critical emergencies that require partial or complete evacuation.
evaGuide aims to address the needs of the safety of large facility visitors during complex evacuation processes, following normal and abnormal events (crises) towards the creation of an easily deployable system that will be able to timely identify new threats, designate and sustain a Location based Dynamic Evacuation Route (LDER) that improves all corresponding response times under any circumstances. evaGuide will support the complete lifecycle of evacuation planning, simulating complex scenarios, training of safety personnel and assessment of the performed actions.
