Computer simulation for Hurricane Disasters (SIMCLONE)

Computer Simulator and Didactic Simulation Exercises  for Hurricane Disaster Training Programs

1. In the area of Training Disaster Managers, it is necessary that besides   lectures,it is necessary for the trainees to undergo a simulation gaming exercise, in order  to make the participants  experience the disaster synthetically. Undergoing a simulator will avoid the participants from making costly errors in the real life situation. 

2. Designing, developing and administering a  well designed computer simulator gaming exercise is an effective solution to the training  problem. Also designing and administering Didactic  Simulation exercises in training programs will help the participants  to exchange their own experiences . This effect cannot be attained  through lectures and case studies.

3. All over the world, the use in training of well designed computer simulators for giving a synthetic experience to the trainees is not used. It is necessary that the participant should be made to experience the various situations  arising in  Decision Making and implementing  in a real life Hurricane Disaster situation. The philosophy should be as follows :

Teach me and I will remember it.  Involve me, and I will experience it.

In Hurricane Disaster Managemnet training programmes, generally the participants come from various countries or from various parts of the same country. When  the participant participates  in the training workshop, he brings with him  a large amount of his own experience in managing the disasters. The Didactic simulation exercises to which the  participants are  exposed as competing  groups, provide a motivated forum for arriving at a consenses on issues, after  substantial group discussions. Besides, in a Didactic Simulation exercise, each participant learns from the other member of the group about the different ways of  handling  the same  Disasters.

I administered the simulator to a group of district collector (Decision Makers) of the Tamil Nadu Government. The workshop was conducted over 3 days at IIT, Madras  by me with help of 6 other assistants, 3 of whom where operating the computer to get the computer out put for a given set of decisions at the end of the simulation gaming exercises the 3 groups into which the participant where divided gave their suggestions based on the game.

Some of the suggestion given by them is reproduced below:

Feed Back:

*  we made some mistakes in our decision. Thanks to the simulator we have      learnt not to repeat the mistake in a real life situation.

Recommendations made:

• To develop and organize simulator assistants training programs for field officers of operating Departments such as PWD, Highways, Transport, Fisheries, Electricity, Health including public participation.
• To organize appropriate educational and training programs using the simulator in schools and colleges including agricultural college curricula.
• To develop vulnerability analysis and risk mapping on a centralized basis and make available advice on vulnerability of areas, communities and Agricultural economy to cyclone, storm surges and flooding effects
• To make the District contingency plan and its pre-monsoon review thoroughly effective, by preparation and prescription of exhaustive “check-list” of all items of actions as a result of the simulator exercises.

My solutions is a new   technology. Hitherto my type of " Hurricane Simulator" based on real life data, has not been developed into a simulator for training decision makers in the area of Disaster Management . Also the innovations cited in my   paper presented by me at the International Emergency Management conference, held in USA enabled me to be named the Asian Vice president .  I was invited to present the simulator and  deliver a special lecture at the United Nations Disaster Relief Organisation(UNDRO) at Geneva  The Simulator and Didactic Exercises have creative aspects . 

The Digital Computer Simulation Technology is a part of my solutions titled SIMCLONE (Simulated Cyclone ). Several aspects of intentionally misdesigned computer simulation were built into the simulator for enhancing the value of the pedagogy.

The Didactic Simulation  has' built in innovations', into the various exercises involving aspects of  Forecasting, Emergency Decision making,  , Pre-Disaster Planning, Post- Disaster Rehabilitation  using network aided information for Decision making, etc. 

1. To conduct or offer support to the  the conduct of an international training workshop ( even as a part of conference ) by using  my solutions. This can be at the Regional, National or International level in collaboration with a leading university or the National Disaster Management Authority. 

2. To formalize the simulator along with the associated computer programe in the form of a saleable package

The concerned  authority in Hurricane prone countries,  will be approached to incorporate my Gaming solution into their respective Disaster Management Manuals.  Also, efforts will be made to collaborate with the Asian Disaster Management to introduce Simulation Gaming into their Training curriculum.

Didactic Simulation Exercises will be enlarged in Scope and Range, and built into training manuals of various countries.Also the Didactic Simulation Exercises will be enlarged in Scope and Computerised, so that groups situated in different geographical situations can play the Game from their locations and compete with groups geographically positioned elsewhere. 

1. Through the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) 

2. International Disaster Management Authorities.

3. Corporates located in Hurricane Disaster prone areas.

The internet will be extensively used.

I am a member of the board of  Governors of the Tamil Nadu Institute of Management, Govt. of Tamilnadu..I serve the trainees coming into this institute as well as the Disaster Management Institute located at Bhopal City, India. and also through training programmes organized by various Universities and institutes  in India.

On an average I train about 100 people in a year.

I will be serving about 150 people in  the next 12 months through training programs and simulated exercises.

This may touch about 600 people in the next 3 years.

1. I have been working in the area of Disaster Management for the past two decades. I have guided Post Graduate Students for their Doctoral Degree in Disaster Management. I have been the Asian Vice President of the International society in Emergency Management. 

My  company, called "SIMPL Solutions". is positioned  for innovations, corporate level training and eventual expansion. Currently the innnovation of a Non Electric manualy Operated clothesWashing machine , whcih is portable (patent pending) is available for rehabilitation, post disaster.This innovation for postdisaster phase has a patent pending.The sales of this machine is part of my revenue model.

i need funding and publicity to carry forward my work in the area of Hurricane Disaster Management. Solve can fund me and enable international publicity to further my work

Main barrier is immediate funding to develop computer simulator for training, and gathering information around the globe regarding Hurricane Disasters. I am developing forecasting models for predicting disasters using extreme value statistics for which i need data of some previous disasters for validating my prediction model. the funding by solve will help me in this venture, by data mining and artificial intelligent.