An Integrated Framework for Allocation of New Emergency Response Facilities in Developing Nations

Abstract

Developing countries are majorly resource-constrained societies which do not have the financial power to invest in meeting all infrastructure needs. Although there are multiple types of emergency response systems (ERS), the most important ones are the basic essentials—fire, medical and police. Along with emergency response planning for man-made emergencies in an urban scenario, there is a gap in the recent literature about integration of basic ERS into a single framework. We propose a novel framework that first evaluates the existing ERS in place and then provides solutions for improvement with the inclusion of additional facilities at optimal locations. Keeping in mind dynamic congestion patterns and land use resource constraints in different areas of the urban space, the proposed facilities are labeled as either permanent or floating. We also propose three different schemes, each with two competing strategies that cater to a specific type of constraint common to developing nations. Through comparison of system performance metrics like first response time, area coverage, and average response time, the ERS pre- and post-implementation of the framework are compared to check for degree of improvement. A case study of the framework is shown using the city of Chandigarh in India as an example. The framework proposed in the paper takes into account the growth and compactness of urban spaces and can be used to continually assess and improve ERS in mixed use urban spaces after fixed periods of time.