Life Loss

This chapter illustrates how HEC-FIA estimates the loss of life when a flood event occurs. HEC-FIA utilizes the Simplified LIFESim methodology to calculate life loss estimates using a number of different parameters, including warning system effectiveness and mobilization curves. The Simplified LIFESim methodology incorporates a number of simplifying assumptions:

• The population is homogeneous in response to warnings.
• The evacuation route is a straight line from the structure to the nearest safe location (e.g., road networks and obstacles are not factored in to the computation).
• The population will stop evacuating once the non-evacuation depth (by default, two feet) is exceeded.
• The population knows if their safe location is or is not wet prior to evacuating their structures.