IAEM Discussion Group:
THE 1ST VIRTUAL SCHOOL EMERGENCY EXERCISE
LOCATION: YORK UNIVERSITY DISASTER AND EMERGENCY VIRTUAL LAB IN SECOND LIFE
DATE: ONE DAY IN THE WEEK OF 26TH OCTOBER 2009
ORGANIZED BY: YORK UNIVERSITY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

You are invited to participate in the “First Virtual School Emergency Exercise” and learn and experience how online virtual technologies such as Second Life could be used by school and campus officials and emergency managers for simulating and exercising various school emergency scenarios in a flexible, low cost, multi-agency, interactive virtual environment.

Interested individuals will participate in an online virtual exercise (using their home or office computer) by playing a role in a two hour school shooting emergency exercise using York University's Virtual Disaster and Emergency Management Lab in Second Life sometimes in the last week of October 2009.

BENEFITS:

• Learn about online virtual environment
• Learn about potential applications of virtual environments in disaster and emergency management
• Learn how to use this low cost, real time, online, freely available, easy to use and set up technology for school and campus emergency simulation, training and exercises
• Learn how to use the virtual environment for remote collaboration and training
• Learn how to use online presence to engage with public and provide them with updates on emergency preparedness
• Have an exciting and fun experience

REQUIREMENTS:

Interested individuals are expected to have the following in order to effectively participate in this amazing virtual school emergency exercise:

1. Access to the High Speed Internet (Cable or DSL or Wireless)
2. A recently purchased computer that can run second life browser (for detail system requirements please visit: http://secondlife.com/supportlsysreqs.php)
3. Total of four hours time (2hr for the virtual emergency exercise, 1 hr for second life orientation, 1 hr for preparation & practice)
4. A headset (built in microphones and speakers are not accepted)

PARTICIPATION PROCESS:

1. Interested individuals register for the virtual emergency management exercise in Second Life. / Registration dead line is October 15, 2009.
2. Registered individuals will be provided with a short guide on how to set up their virtual presence in Second Life.
3. Registered individuals will attend one of the orientation sessions in Second Life Virtual Environment to become familiar with the environment.
4. Participants will receive the emergency exercise package.
5. Participants will conduct the exercise in a day and time, in the week of October 26th 2009, mutually agreed upon by the participants.

HOW TO REGISTER:

Please express your interest no later than October 15^th by providing the following information to ASGARY@YORKU.CA <mailto:ASGARY@YORKU.CA>:

1. Name:
2. E-Mail:
3. Organization:
4. Country:
5. Would like to register as: (Participant or Observer):
6. Preferred day for the virtual exercise: Tuesday (October 27), Wednesday (October 28), Thursday (October 29):
7. Preferred time for the exercise (EST - Toronto Time):

Registration fee: Registration is free but space is limited to only to 20 participants and 20 observers.

MORE INFORMATION:

To learn more about Second life please visit: www.secondlife.com

For examples of how Second Life is used in emergency management exercises please visit:

• http://www.yorku.ca/yfile/archive/index.asp?Article=10815
• http://www.yorku.ca/cst/dotelblog/?p=363&cpage=1
• http://openvce.net/joomla/index.php/news/1-latest-news/110-1st-international-virtual-emergency-exercise-swine-flu-outbreak
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaSOEUiNbVA&feature=related
  
  

Thank you very much.

-- 
Ali Asgary, PhD
Associate Professor
Emergency Management Program
School of Administrative Studies
Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies
York University
4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario, M3J 1P3, Canada
Tel. 416 736 2100   ext. 22879
Fax. 416 736 5963
E-Mail: asgary@yorku.ca