The principal French authority responsible for civil defense has used MASA’s market-leading crisis management simulation software to conduct a critical training exercise in order to enhance the capital city’s potential response to persistent and violent flooding.
Paris, France: An estimated 500 representatives from 15 French companies took part in a two-day training exercise based on the occurrence of two weeks’ of major flooding in the streets of Paris. Organized by the French High Committee for Civil Defense (HCFDC), the hypothetical event was recreated using SWORD, MASA’s automated simulation solution for emergency preparedness and planning.
Staged on 29-30 September, the exercise was based on the catastrophic 1910 Great Flood of Paris, during which the Seine rose eight meters above its usual seasonal level. It precisely simulated the flow of water and the impact of rising flood levels on the city’s infrastructure, while testing the participants’ reactions and response. The group included representatives from leading energy and water providers, television networks, telecommunication companies and public transport operatives. They were joined by envoys of Paris City Hall and the “Secrétariat Général de la Zone de Défense et de Sécurité de Paris” (General Secretariat for the Defense and Security of Paris), which is responsible for the city’s crisis management.
