Challenges, Tools, and Strategic Approaches for the Evacuation Plan Design

The development of evacuation plans in historic city centres is a critical aspect of urban safety and disaster management. Historic centres, often characterized by narrow streets, high population density, and the pres ence of heritage buildings, pose unique challenges during emergency situa tions such as earthquakes, floods, or fires. An effective evacuation planning significantly reduces the risk of casualties and ensures the preservation of cultural heritage sites. The evacuation plans are typically defined through a detailed risk assessment of the city (seismic risk, natural or anthropogenic deterioration), mapping of escape routes, and the identification of safe are as, taking into account the specific vulnerabilities of the historic fabric and the population. The present work addresses these issues with reference to the case study of Popoli Terme, a small village located in Abruzzo, Italy. After providing an overview of the literature on modern approaches to evacuation planning and presenting the main methods and tools employed, the case study is examined, focusing on the definition of an initial strategy for evacuation plan design. The results show challenges and limitations in the accessibility of historic city centres, where preservation conflicts with modern safety requirements.