## 3 Results
### Human Factors Influencing Evacuation
#### 3.2.3 Influence of Demographics and Training in Evacuation  
The significance of demographic factors in evacuation efficiency was also identified as playing an important role. In a comprehensive study on human performance during the abandonment of cruise/large passenger vessels conducted by [PERSON] [36], interesting findings in evacuation speeds across different demographic groups were observed. Males and females generally evacuated at the same speed during the conduct of the experiment, without projecting considerable disparities in their evacuation times. This finding is also supported by [PERSON] et al. [37], who mention that there are no significant differences in the pre-evacuation speed and behavior between men and women. Nevertheless, it was observed that, in some cases, men were more likely to engage in competitive behaviors, such as pushing or forcing their way through crowds, than women. Notably, in the \"Costa Concordia\" accident, some male passengers tried to push through the crowd in order to forcibly enter to the lifeboats, causing injuries to other passengers on their way [38].  
Additionally, evacuation time was found to generally increase among occupants of older age, highlighting the critical impact of the age variable on evacuation efficiency during maritime emergencies. More specifically, it was observed that elderly passengers generally exhibit slower reaction times to alarms and often face greater physical limitations in mobility, especially when navigating complex ship layouts, or dealing with environmental factors like listing or smoke [36]. The delayed reaction time can be possibly attributed to the fact that older passengers tend to take extra steps to verify an alarm's authenticity before initiating evacuation, often due to heightened risk perception and a cautious mindset. Although this attitude in principle can be viewed as good and can potentially reduce panic, it can also lead to long delays that, in combination with the slower walking speeds and mobility limitations of the elderly, can further impede evacuation efficiency [37]. Furthermore, the movement and walking speed of elderly passengers can be seriously affected by the ship's heeling or rough environmental conditions that impact the vessel already in distress [36].  
Moreover, training emerged as a crucial determinant of evacuation success. There is an agreement that crew and passengers, who have undergone relevant training are able to  
Figure 5: Flowchart depicting the two mustering methods compared in the study. Source: [32].  
evacuate significantly faster compared to individuals that lack the necessary knowledge and training around evacuation. [PERSON] [36] discusses that insufficient personnel training can lead to disorganized evacuations, as inadequately prepared crew members may lack the assertiveness and clear communication skills necessary to manage large groups of passengers. In regard to passenger training, their findings also suggest that passengers often lack basic knowledge about evacuation procedures. Unlike the airline industry, where safety instructions are standardized and given before each flight, maritime evacuations frequently suffer from a lack of similar pre-departure briefings. Perhaps there is a gap of knowledge in regard to the adequacy of passenger training that should be explored further, but overall, it is clear that without fundamental training, passengers are more likely to experience confusion and panic, slowing the overall evacuation process.