Assessing the Reliability and Validity of the Evacuation Support Decision Tool

This study examines the reliability and validity of the Evacuation Decision Support Tool, which is designed to provide healthcare facilities, emergency managers, and other agencies with a systematic process to evaluate and guide "evacuation" versus "shelter in place" decision making for a variety of all hazards situations. The study used three standardized scenarios (power failure, ice storm, and hurricane) across five standardized situations (communications failure, critical supply shortage, electrical utility power failure, external flood, and internal flood).