Palo Verde Evacuation

About the Program

Category: Information Technology (Best in Category)

Year: 2016

Abstract of the Program The Department of Emergency Management is mandated by the federal government to provide evacuation services to the citizens of Maricopa County that reside in a 10 mile Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) around the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station. Part of this service includes collecting essential information from the citizens regarding their special needs, size of households, and number of pets and livestock. Additional information is then calculated using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to provide location analysis regarding distance to services and warning systems. This information is then used by multiple government agencies that provide emergency services for data analysis and coordination of yearly tabletop exercises to test emergency policies and procedures that would be used during an actual evacuation of this community. Ultimately, the application of GIS data provides user-friendly access to this critical information to responders that allows them to respond more effectively in the event of an evacuation.