Using Virtual Environment Systems During the Emergency Prevention, Preparedness, Response and Recovery Phases

In this paper, we review application of virtual environment systems to emergency management. Section 1 describes new possibilities that virtual environment technology offers. In Section 2, we analyze application of virtual environment technology to simulation and first responders training during the preparedness phase of an emergency. Section 3 discusses mobile augmented reality systems for first responders’ equipment, navigation and three-dimensional (3D) geographic information representation, damage evaluation and reconstruction of buildings. Section 4 explains how virtual environment technologies provide visualization and decision support for management personnel. In the last section, we make some conclusions about current research in this field, present systems and future trends.