This Simulator was designed to fulfill the requirements for Crisis and Disaster Management using the Incident Command System (ICS) as a management adhoc organization. The system was established, developed and used in Canada, United States and Europe.

The Crisis and Disaster Management Simulator is a complete, fully automated system used for training & managing real-time emergency response dealing with a variety of natural and man-made crisis according to a pre-designed contingency plan.

Different types of crises scenarios can be simulated through the system, which contains a continuously updated database and various models.

Brief Description of the Simulator and its Operations

The Simulator consists of the following:

1.A Command and Control Center

This is considered the backbone of the facility. It mainly includes Crisis Software accessed through 13 work stations representing the ICS organization.

2.An On-Scene Commander Room

This room is located next to the Command and Control Center and equipped with similar facilities and independent communication devices and used by the on-scene commander during the exercise.

3.A Simulator Instructor Control Station

The simulator is used by the instructor(s) to initiate, control, monitor the oil spill and other crisis and disaster exercises, and assess trainees’ performance.

4.A Scientific Center/Archive

This is a comprehensive facility equipped to enable the entry of oracle databases, developing electronic maps and using Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

5.A Training Facility Feedback Room

Which is a large meeting room fully equipped for lecturing, debriefing and organizing press conferences.

6.Databases

The simulator is accompanied with comprehensive databases for managing different types of crises and disasters which are used as a decision support tool.

7.Software

L3 Crisis management software is installed on all workstations to allow the follow-up of information, visualizing different situations and sending messages through a user friendly web paged local area network (LAN).

8.Models

Several models are available to help in early planning and managing of crisis and disasters.

The simulator comprises the following models:

• Oil Spill Trajectory Model (SLRoss).
• Oil Spill Prediction Model.
• Surface Water Modeling System (SMS).
• Ground Water Modeling System (GMS).
• Watershed Modeling System (WMS).
• Dam Break Model (DAMBRK).
• Gas Release Model (AFTOX).
• Earthquake, Hurricane and Flooding Model (Hazus).
• Explosion, Fire and Gas Release Model (Breeze).
• Clear Evacuation Model (ClearEvac).

9.Operations Section

The operations section consists of three simulators that can be used as simulated ships, boats or helicopters according to the desired scenario. These simulators are used during exercises for search, rescue and aerial reconnaissance.