Model and solution of complex emergency dispatch by multiple rescue centers with limited capacity to different disaster areas

Abstract

A disaster emergency consists of many unfavorable factors, such as different disaster areas, the limited capacity of the rescue centers, and complex rescue conditions. After taking into account the resources of the rescue centers, the ability of rescue teams, and the distance between the rescue centers and the disaster areas, this paper has established a complex model for multiple centers with limited capacity to dispatch teams for emergencies in different disaster areas. The model is solved by the genetic algorithm. Firstly, the paper takes the rescue task as the subunit to perform integer programming. Secondly, a rule is designed according to the symmetry of parents' crossing. According to the rule, single parent crossover only allows two situations, (1) different rescue mission for the same rescue center and (2) different rescue centers under the same rescue mission. Finally, the performance of parent crossing and symmetric single parent crossing is compared. The results show that the two algorithms can converge to the optimal solution, but each of them has unique advantages in terms of convergence speed and stability. It is suggested that the strategy of the single-parent crossover should be used to deal with local emergency responses and that the two-parent crossover strategy is be used for more complicated global emergency responses.