Active shooter mitigation techniques.

This paper looks at current active shooter mitigation techniques employed by schools throughout the country in an attempt to mitigate casualties during an active shooter event. The researchers modified an existing Columbine High School agent-based model created by Jae Lee, MS, to examine if the introduction of a school resource officer (SRO), concealed carry weapon (CCW) holder, or both would change the outcome of the previous research. RUN.HIDE.FIGHT® scenarios were modeled with the same parameters of the previous work, but now included armed first responders during the incident to assess whether their presence decreased casualties through a reduction in response time. The researchers determined that the addition of either an SRO, CCW holder, or both significantly reduced casualty rates during an active shooter scenario.

Software library for agent-based modeling and simulation of active shooter events.

Software libraries have been used for decades to produce code in a quick and cost-effective manner. The use of well-designed libraries permits software developers and other professionals to create applications due in part to code reusability. Also, good libraries grant lesser skilled developers the opportunity to make high-quality applications they otherwise could not produce. In the field of active shooting incident (ASI) research, various tools have been used for years that give researchers the ability to conduct exploratory research. However, as good as these tools might be, there has been little thought about reusability of these models and associated code. This has hindered the proper advancement of the research field given that researchers must often start from nothing when building a new model. Constant repetition of the same basic tasks has not enabled researchers to expand model fidelity and has limited time to dedicate toward the problem set. This paper proposes the creation of a new agent-based ASI library, made for the AnyLogic® system. The library assists researchers in quickly creating models using a well-defined application programming interface. It also abstracts away implementation details so that the library user does not get waylaid in development. The authors also recreated parts of a large and powerful AnyLogic model to observe the resultant library employment. It was determined that a significant amount of time can be saved building new models, even with the initial version of the library implementation.

Agent-based modeling for theme park evacuation.

Each year theme parks can see up to 20 million patrons, but often little effort is put into planning for an emergency evacuation. In this study, we built a multiagent simulation model using AnyLogic® 8.5.1. The model was based on a preliminary design of a theme park provided by AOA Builds, Orlando. This research had two goals: the first was to compare evacuation time when the park is full (1) using only the main guest gate and (2) using all seven available exits. The second goal was to model first responder response time between various start and end locations within the park. Using only the main gate, evacuation took an average of 14 minutes and 51 seconds. Using all seven gates results in an average evacuation time of 11 minutes and 58 seconds. This was due to a gate being overwhelmed causing a delay in overall evacuation time. If that gate is not included in the calculation, the average evacuation time drops to 6 minutes and 44 seconds. For the purpose of measuring response times, four starting locations were chosen with the guidance of a subject matter expert. These locations included response teams positioned at the front gate, at a police station, at the service area behind a main attraction, and mobile patrol walking around the park. Based on our testing, walking around the park was the best option in terms of response time, using the main gate was 53.7 percent faster than other options and, using all seven gates, was 60.7 percent faster during an evacuation using all seven exits.

POD variant comparisons.

Points of distribution, also known as points of dispensing (POD), are a means for public and private organizations to assist their communities in times of crisis. There are two principal categories of PODs, open and closed, but all PODs differ in design, properties, and application. This study investigates two POD variations: drive-through and supervisor, which have their own unique requirements for being stood up, run, and shut down, as well as differing requirements for planning, staffing, and logistics. There are also similarities in the requirements that each POD category share which lead to certain efficiencies in planning for POD standup, execution, and shutdown. The primary findings of this paper are that planners cannot rely on one POD design and its properties to accommodate every situation, and each POD design has its own strengths and weaknesses. These are related to staffing, security, space requirements, and material logistics needs. Flexibility should be exercised when choosing the correct design, and implementing the proper strategy is key to standing up and executing a POD that will best serve a community. Every situation is different and factors such as population, available infrastructure, resource requirements, and individual skill of the POD staff all influence the design of a POD. Planners should consider resources such as available volunteers, trained personnel (medical and security), and buildings or outdoor space available to run a POD. With proper planning, a POD is an excellent tool to effectively and efficiently serve the public.