Responding to Emergencies: Lessons Learned and the Need for Analysis

Richard C. Larson (), Michael D. Metzger () and Michael F. Cahn ()
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Richard C. Larson: Center for Engineering Systems Fundamentals, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, E40-231b, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
Michael D. Metzger: Operations Research Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, E40-149, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
Michael F. Cahn: Structured Decisions Corporation, 1105 Washington Street, Suite 1, West Newton, Massachusetts 02465

Interfaces, 2006, vol. 36, issue 6, 486-501

Abstract: Large-scale emergency incidents, such as acts of terrorism, human-caused accidents, and acts of nature, often overwhelm local first-responder resources. A historical review of five recent major emergencies---the Oklahoma City bombing (1995), the crash of United Airlines Flight 232 (1989), the sarin attack in the Tokyo subway (1995), Hurricane Floyd (1999), and Hurricane Charlie (2004)---shows the need for additional research to develop decision-oriented, operations research models to improve preparation for and response to major emergencies. Local emergency managers need decision guidance regarding evacuation directives, management of near-the-scene logistics, triage on the scene and at hospitals, use of volunteers and off-duty personnel, reducing telephone traffic congestion, and integration of response with second- and third-level responders from other jurisdictions. Especially promising is the potential use of data mining and statistical inference to glean more real-time information from 911 calls that may be reporting a coordinated attack at multiple locations.

Keywords: planning: government; government: emergency response (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2006
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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