FEMA’s Immersed VR Flood Risk Simulator Will Be At WeatherReady Fest

What a great way to learn about the value of preparing for natural disasters, especially with the potential of floods along the Mississippi River. FEMA Region VII is bringing its latest virtual-reality educational tool to WeatherReady Fest, called Immersed. You'll be able to virtually explore flood damage, witness the challenges of evacuations, experience mitigation decisions being made, and much more! You will be able to explore additional mitigation information after going through the VR simulation.

The National Weather Association Foundation WeatherReady Fest will take place in St. Louis at the Saint Louis Science Center, on Saturday, August 25, 2018, from 9:30 AM until 5:30 PM. Get your free tickets by clicking here.

About Immersed (from FEMA's Immersed website):
Flooding is our nation’s most common and costly natural disaster, which is why it’s critical for community leaders to be equipped with the information, tools, and skills needed to take mitigation action. Doing so can provide a positive return on investment in terms of lives, property, and money saved. In fact, every $1.00 spent on mitigation saves a community an average of $4.00, according to the Multihazard Mitigation Council.

To help educate community leaders about the value of preparing for the worst, FEMA has created a virtual reality experience called IMMERSED. This tool puts users at the center of a flood crisis, allowing them to assess damage in a community and see the benefits of mitigation first-hand.

Through simple tasks, users experience a major flood event in a real, personal way. From the perspective of a community leader in a flood-affected town, they:

  • Explore the damage in a flooded neighborhood
  • Witness the challenges of an evacuation
  • Lead a stranded teacher to safety at a flooded school
  • Experience mitigation decisions being made
  • Discover which preparations can lead to positive results

After users experience IMMERSED, they are encouraged to explore additional information about mitigation action, including:

  • Descriptions of and specifications for the different types of action
  • Details on grants and other programs that are available to support communities in taking action
  • Information about a variety of related topics, including the National Flood Insurance Program, hazard mitigation planning, and community engagement.

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