An emergency resource allocation model for maritime chemical spill accidents

A liquid chemical spill or leakage at sea pollutes the marine environment,damages natural resources,and harms the health of local residents.To date,there has not been much research that has been devoted to this important maritime emergency rescue problem.In this study,we propose a mathematical programming model that considers a single accident site and multiple emergency rescue bases.Various resource constraints,such as volume and weight capacity at the emergency rescue bases,are considered.Rescue funding availability is also integrated into the model.The results from a numerical example show that the model is mathematically valid and practically feasible.The proposed model can be used to provide insightful decision support information to the liquid chemical leakage rescue effort.

Multiperiod Equitable and Efficient Allocation Strategy of Emergency Resources Under Uncertainty

Equitable and efficient allocation of emergency resources is critical to ensure the success of relief efforts.The challenge comes largely from two aspects:the resources available for allocation are usually limited in quantity,especially in the early period of emergency response;and a large amount of uncertain information in the relief process affects the decision making of resource allocation.A multiperiod allocation model of emergency resources that takes into account both efficiency and equity based on uncertain disaster information is proposed.Interval number and triangular fuzzy number are introduced to describe the different sources of uncertainty(for example,demand,transportation time,and maximum transport amount),and the loss caused by unmet demand is used to quantify equity.Then,the deterministic transformation method of uncertain parameters is designed and the linear weighted sum method is applied to solve the proposed model.Finally,a computational case based on the 2017 Jiuzhaigou earthquake in Sichuan Province,China was conducted to validate the proposed model.The results show that the proposed model is feasible in the multiperiod allocation of emergency resources among multidisaster sites,and the findings can help emergency managers to allocate emergency resources more scientifically,equitably,and effectively under uncertainty.

Multiperiod Optimal Allocation of Emergency Resources in Support of Cross-Regional Disaster Sustainable Rescue

Cross-regional allocation is necessary for the rational utilization and optimal allocation of resources.It is also the key to effective and sustainable disaster relief.Existing research,however,generally centers on emergency resource allocation only within territories or regions.This article proposes a multiperiod allocation optimization model for emergency resources based on regional selfrescue and cross-regional collaborative rescue efforts.The model targets the shortest delivery time and lowest allocation costs as its efficiency goals and the maximum coverage rate of resource allocation in the disaster-affected locations as its equity goal.An objective weighting fuzzy algorithm based on two-dimensional Euclidean distance is designed to solve the proposed model.A case study based on the Wenchuan Earthquake of 12 May 2008 was conducted to validate the proposed model.The results indicate that our proposed model allows for optimal,multiperiod cross-regional resource allocation by combining interterritorial and nearby allocation principles.Cross-regional relief makes resource allocation more equitable,minimizes dissatisfaction,and prevents losses.Different decision preferences appear to significantly affect the choice of resource allocation scheme employed,which provides flexibility for decision making in different emergencies.

The Usage of Triage Systems in Mass Casualty Incident of Developed Countries

Victims are usually overwhelmed by local medical system in an unexpected mass casualty incident (MCI). Triage systems originate from wartime necessity to achieve the greatest efficiency to the maximum number of victims. In peacetime, the triage systems are applied to allocate constrained medical resources for the victims in MCI. There are several kinds of triage systems in different countries, such as Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment (START), Sort, Assess, Life-saving interventions, Treatment and/or Transport (SALT), Sacco Triage Method (STM), Careflight triage and Triage Sieve (TS). The START system is widely used in developed countries, especially in USA. The SALT is formulated by a work group of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) based on scientific data. STM is a triage algorithm designed for resource-constrained condition. Besides, the other triage systems show their power in managing the victims in MCI. However, the data of theses popular triage tools are mainly based on simulated tests, lacking of validity and reliability of triage systems. Therefore, the application, reliability, sensitivity and specificity of existing triage tools require to be validated in the real condition of MCI. Furthermore, due to the difference among triage tools used in different countries, international cooperation is demanded for a more highly organized mass-casualty medical response.