QEM® Mitigates Risk
QEM® (Quantitative Emergency Management) is IEM’s award-winning state-of-the-art simulation that represents the most sophisticated process yet developed for analyzing preparedness. With the capability to run more than 10,000 scenarios in one processing hour through the power of distributed processing, QEM® models the behavior of a particular hazard, the emergency response system in place, and the social behavior of the population during a response.
QEM® Mitigates Risks
QEM® uses this information to calculate the risk and the impact of various protection strategies on reducing that risk. With the number of gaps in preparedness and limited funds, it is critical to know where precisely to use those funds. Instead of customers having to spend dollars and time implementing ideas that cannot work, QEM® pinpoints the actions that will be effective across a wide spectrum of potential events. Before QEM®, the results of current strategies could be seen only after an event occurred. QEM® offers peace of mind in knowing that the most effective strategies to mitigate risks are in place before an event happens.
The QEM® methodology and toolset comprise the overarching strategy behind IEM’s risk assessment and planning services.
QEM® Methodology Applied in Hundreds of IEM Projects
- Readiness Assessments
- Emergency Response Exercises
- Systems Analyses
- Hazard Analysis Training
- Chemical Plant Mitigation Studies
- Counter Terrorism Assessments
- Nuclear Plant Evacuation Studies
- Protective Action Analyses
- Wind Persistency Studies
- Collective Protection Studies
- Special Populations Studies
- Chemical Detector Studies
- Domestic Preparedness Support
- Bio-detector Studies
- Chemical Agent Monitoring
- Vulnerability Assessments
- Emergency Response Plan Development
- Hurricane Evacuation Planning
QEM® has been used by FEMA and the U.S. Army since 1997 to measure the effectiveness of response systems in detecting and responding to accidental chemical releases. Working with the states of Oregon and Washington and the Umatilla Army Depot, IEM used QEM® technology to deliver a validated, scientific, and thorough strategy for assessing readiness to protect citizens in case of an accidental release of chemical agents.
IEM used elements of QEM® to gather and process data to automatically produce real, scientifically defensible recommendations for real-time courses of action for the Alabama Emergency Management Agency.
QEM® helped DOD’s Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) quantify the effectiveness of various chemical/biological defense systems. The tool demonstrated the impact that biological detectors and increased medical care capacity might have on consequences surrounding a catastrophic anthrax strike. IEM’s study helped guide purchasing decisions at all levels of defense planning.